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Targeted brownfield assessment for Oklahoma Army National Guard former Okemah armory, Okemah, Oklahoma

TARGETED BROWNFIELD
ASSESSMENT
For
Oklahoma Army National Guard
Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
ASTM E 1527-05
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
All Appropriate Inquiry
Prepared by:
July 5, 2013
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
3
Table of Contents
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 5
2.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 7
2.1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Detailed Scope-of-Services .......................................................................................... 8
2.3 Significant Assumptions ............................................................................................... 8
2.4 Limitations and Exceptions .......................................................................................... 8
2.5 Special Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................... 9
3.0 SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND HISTORY .................................................................. 9
3.1 Location and Legal Description .................................................................................... 9
3.2 Site and Vicinity Characterization ................................................................................10
3.3 Description of Structures, Roads, and Other Improvements ........................................11
3.4 Owner, Property Manager, and Occupant Information ................................................11
3.5 Information Reported by User Regarding Environmental Lien or Specialized
Knowledge or Experience ......................................................................................................11
3.6 Commonly Known or Reasonably Ascertainable Information ......................................11
3.7 Valuation Reduction for Environmental Issues ............................................................11
3.8 Current Use of the Property ........................................................................................12
3.9 Past Use of the Property .............................................................................................12
3.9.1 Review of Aerial Photographs .................................................................................12
3.9.2 Fire Insurance Maps ...............................................................................................13
3.10 Current and Past Uses of Adjoining Properties ...........................................................13
3.11 Environmental (Physical) Setting ................................................................................14
3.11.1 Surface Water Characteristics ...............................................................................15
3.11.2 Subsurface Geological Characterization ................................................................15
3.11.3 Ground Water Characteristics ...............................................................................16
3.11.4 Air Characteristics .................................................................................................16
4.0 RECORDS REVIEW ......................................................................................................16
4.1 Federal National Priorities List (NPL) ..........................................................................17
4.2 Federal CERCLIS List .................................................................................................17
4.3 Federal RCRA CORRACTs List ...................................................................................17
4.4 Federal RCRA non-CORRACTS TSD List ...................................................................17
4.5 Federal RCRA Generators List ....................................................................................17
4.6 Federal ERNS List .......................................................................................................18
4.7 Federal Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries ........................................18
4.8 State-Equivalent NPL ..................................................................................................18
4.9 State-Equivalent CERCLIS ..........................................................................................18
4.10 State Landfill and / or Solid Waste Disposal Sites ........................................................18
4.11 State Leaking UST List ...............................................................................................18
4.12 State Registered UST Sites ........................................................................................19
4.13 State Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries ...........................................19
4.14 State Voluntary Cleanup Sites ....................................................................................19
4.15 State Brownfield Sites .................................................................................................19
4.16 Oil and Gas Records ..................................................................................................19
4.17 State Environmental Complaints and Local Services Response ....................................20
4.18 Dry Cleaner Databases .................................................................................................21
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Okemah, Oklahoma
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5.0 SITE RECONNAISSANCE AND INTERVIEWS ............................................................21
5.1 Methodology and Limiting Conditions .........................................................................21
5.2 General Site conditions ...............................................................................................22
5.2.1 Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs) .......................................................................22
5.2.2 Landfills and/or Dumping ...................................................................................22
5.2.3 Impoundments ...................................................................................................23
5.2.4 Monitoring Wells ................................................................................................23
5.2.5 Disturbed and Stained Soils ...............................................................................23
5.2.6 Seeps ................................................................................................................23
5.2.7 Chemical Spills ..................................................................................................23
5.2.8 Farm Waste .......................................................................................................23
5.2.9 Known Pesticide Misapplication .........................................................................23
5.2.10 Discharges and Runoff from Adjacent Property Affecting the Site .....................24
5.2.11 Petroleum Products and Oil and Natural Gas Exploration .................................24
5.2.12 Asbestos ..........................................................................................................24
5.2.13 Lead .................................................................................................................25
5.2.14 Transformers/PCB Equipment .................................................................................25
5.3 External Observations .................................................................................................26
5.4 Internal Observations ...................................................................................................26
5.5 Interviews ....................................................................................................................26
6.0 FINDINGS .....................................................................................................................27
7.0 OPINION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................30
8.0 DATA GAPS..................................................................................................................30
9.0 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................30
10. ADDITIONAL SERVICES ...............................................................................................30
11. DEVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................31
12. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................31
Appendix A: Qualifications of Environmental Professionals
Appendix B: Site Visit Photographs / Site Visit Notes
Appendix C: Aerial Photographs
Appendix D: FEMA Map
Appendix E: Sanborn Maps
Appendix F: USGS Topographical Map / Site Maps
Appendix G: Deeds
Appendix H: Memorandum of Agreement between DEQ and the City of Okemah
Appendix I: ERNS
Appendix J: RCRA Generators
Appendix K: Soil Survey
Appendix L: OCC Records
Appendix M: OWRB Information
Appendix N: DEQ and EPA Searches
Appendix O: DEQ Sampling Results and Reports from GMR & Associates
Appendix P: Previous Environmental Assessments
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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April, 5, 2012, Rachel Francks, Rebecca Marfurt, and Franziska Landes of the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) performed site reconnaissance
of the Former Okemah Armory located at 302 South Sertco Road, Okemah, Oklahoma
in Okfuskee County, as part of a Targeted Brownfield Assessment (TBA). The subject
property is situated in the southwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of Section 17,
Township 11 North, Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian. The purpose of the TBA was
to identify potential environmental concerns by reviewing historical data, regulatory
information, and by performing a visual inspection of the site and surrounding area. The
following is an executive summary of the environmental site assessment results:
· Results from the lead and asbestos surveys found that the subject property is
contaminated with lead dust, lead-based paint, and asbestos. The Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Quality Site Cleanup Assistance Program (SCAP)
plans to remediate the lead and asbestos contamination on the subject property
and properly dispose of all associated waste. The lead-based paint, lead dust,
and asbestos contamination in the building constitute recognized environmental
conditions (RECs).
· The subject property contained an oil-water separator. Old correspondence from
Oklahoma Military Department records shows that the oil-water separator was
cleaned in 1999. Soil sediment samples collected from the oil-water separator
found the TPH levels were below the action levels at 43 mg/kg. The oil-water
separator, prior to its 1999 cleaning, is considered an historical recognized
condition (HREC). The low levels of TPH found in the sediment of the oil-water
separator are considered a finding, since they are below action levels.
· There are two buildings on site: the main armory building and the motor pool
building. The main armory building contains office space in the north part of the
structure, a kitchen, drill floor, and the indoor firing range (IFR). A gas stove and
dishwasher remained in the kitchen. The kitchen and restrooms were found to
have tiles that returned positive values for lead with an XRF reading. However,
this lead is thought to be encapsulated, since it is contained within the tile.
· The former Okemah Armory was built in 1984. The land for the building was
deeded by the City of Okemah to the State of Oklahoma, on February 7, 1983,
for benefit of the Oklahoma National Guard. The subject property was managed
and maintained by the Oklahoma Military Department (on behalf of the State of
Oklahoma) until October 20, 2011 when the subject property was transferred to
the City of Okemah. The subject property is currently owned by the City of
Okemah. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been signed between the
City of Okemah and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality on
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October 3, 2011 (Appendix H). Cleanup activities have been completed and a
notice of remediation and land use restriction dated February 12, 2013 was filed
in the Okfuskee County Courthouse (Appendix G).
· The subject property is located on the eastern outskirts of the City of Okemah.
Therefore, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps do not show the subject property or the
adjacent property. Historical aerial photographs show the various stages of the
lake and the surrounding buildings, the airport flying field runways, and vacant
land surrounding the subject property. Aerial images through 1954 show that the
subject property was vacant and agricultural land. A search through county
records showed that the first deed transaction on the site was in 1983 when the
City of Okemah deeded the subject property to the State of Oklahoma for use by
the National Guard.
· Adjoining properties consist of a lake, a golf course, and a former airport flying
field to the west a vacant building that used to be Quantum Industries, which
manufactured modular homes, to the north; Sertco Industries, a company
manufacturing natural gas compressors, to the south; and vacant land and
agricultural land to the east.
· A previous environmental assessment (Appendix P) completed by the military
department on the area that is to the west of the subject property indicates that
part of the lake bed is an old city dump used for construction and demolition
waste.
· No National Priority List (NPL) sites, deleted NPL sites, archived Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
(CERCLIS) sites, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) subject to
corrective action (CORRACTS) sites, RCRA non-corrective actions (non-
CORRACTS) treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) listings, Emergency
Response Notification System (ERNS) listings, RCRA generators, Voluntary
Cleanup (VCP) sites, Brownfield sites, or State landfills and/or solid waste
disposal sites were found on the subject property or within ASTM recommended
search radii. No environmental complaints have been reported to DEQ for the
subject property. The subject property is on the DEQ SCAP list for cleanup of
lead and asbestos contamination and remediation has been completed. DEQ
issued a notice of remediation and land use restriction dated February 12, 2013
that was filed in the Okfuskee County Courthouse. Institutional controls include
no residential use of the property by children under age 6 and no use of the IFR
as a child occupied facility. The deed notice is included in Appendix G.
· According to Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) records there are no
suspected underground storage tanks (USTs) on site. No other records or
indication of a possible UST exist. A search for leaking underground storage
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tanks (LUSTs) with the ASTM search radius shows no LUSTs within ½ mile or
up-gradient of the subject property.
· Oil and gas exploration and production was found in the OCC oil and gas records
on the adjoining properties. There was no record of oil and gas production on
the subject property.
· There used to be drums located on the east fence that were used to dispose of
potentially hazardous materials from vehicle maintenance.
· A patch of stained soil was found between the main building and motor pool
building.
· Several pole-mounted transformers were noted to the east of the armory
building, and it is unknown if they contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Fluorescent lighting ballasts are located throughout the offices, storage rooms,
kitchen, and restrooms in the main armory building as well as throughout the
motor pool building. The lighting ballasts all appeared to be in good condition.
The lights in the drill floor and the motor pool building contained both
incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lighting. All fluorescent bulbs contain
mercury and should be handled as Universal Waste unless documentation
and/or sampling demonstrate they are not hazardous.
· No current or historic dry cleaners were found within the search radius of 1.0
mile.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The State of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under a Brownfield
Assistance Agreement (No. RP96681001-0) (Ref. 1) with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a Targeted Brownfield Assessment of a property
located at 302 South Sertco Road, Okemah, Oklahoma.
2.1 Purpose
The purpose of this assessment is to look at the environmental conditions within the
target area and provide this information to the City of Okemah as well as meet the All
Appropriate Inquiry requirement of the landowner liability protections under the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA,
better known as Superfund) (Ref. 2), as provided in the Small Business Relief and
Brownfield’s Revitalization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-118, Subtitle B) (Ref. 3). The
purpose of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is to identify, to the extent
feasible, recognized environmental conditions in connection with the target property
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through a systematic review of readily available information sources and a site
reconnaissance.
DEQ is providing technical assistance to the project by evaluating the environmental
condition of the subject property prior to the City of Okemah converting the Former
Okemah National Guard Armory Building for use as a Head Start Center Funding for
this assessment has been provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
2.2 Detailed Scope-of-Services
DEQ examined the current use of the subject property and identified the historical uses
of the property to determine if recognized environmental conditions exist. DEQ
examined historical documents, governmental databases, oil and gas records, aerial
photographs, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, and conducted interviews and a site
reconnaissance of the area. A good faith effort was made to identify possible
environmental conditions that might affect the development of the property.
2.3 Significant Assumptions
History and knowledge of the subject property shows that the building was used as a
National Guard Armory. The National Guard Amory was built in 1984 and the subject
property was vacant land owned by the City of Okemah until 1983, when the city
deeded it to the State of Oklahoma for use as a National Guard Armory. There has
been no oil and gas exploration on the subject property according to Oklahoma
Corporation Commission records.
Since the building was constructed in the early 1980s, the building may or may not
contain asbestos containing materials (ACM). The U.S. began banning the use of
asbestos in most building materials in the 1970s due to studies confirming the harmful
health effects caused by exposure to airborne asbestos. However, ACM has been found
in armories and buildings built in the 1980s, presumably due to the use of stock-piled
materials. Pipe wrap, suspect floor tile, and mastic were observed in the building during
the site reconnaissance conducted on April 5, 2012. The DEQ has had a lead-based
paint, lead dust, and asbestos survey conducted on the subject property. These surveys
found lead-based paint, lead dust, and ACM within the armories. Details are included in
Section 5.2 General Site Assessment and in Appendix O.
2.4 Limitations and Exceptions
The purpose of an environmental site assessment is to identify actual or potential
“recognized environmental conditions” that may result in liability, land use restrictions, or
cause delays in revitalization. The ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment E
1527 – 05 (Ref. 4) is the minimum standard for environmental due diligence in the real
estate industry and meets the standard for All Appropriate Inquiry under the Small
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002. A diligent effort in
accordance with generally accepted good commercial and customary standards and
practices was undertaken to identify the “recognized environmental conditions” that
might affect the revitalization project. However, the identification of old hazardous waste
sites is an evolving process; therefore, DEQ cannot state with absolute certainty that no
other potential hazardous waste sites are located in the area. This assessment was
conducted under constraints of time, cost, and scope and reflects a limited investigation
and evaluation. It reflects the normal degree of care and skill that is ordinarily exercised
by environmental professionals conducting business in this or similar localities. In no
event shall the DEQ or its employees be liable for any damages, injury, loss, cost, or
expense whatsoever arising in connection with the use or reliance on the information
contained in this report, except as otherwise provided by law.
The information in this report is based on a review of governmental records, interviews
with knowledgeable representatives of the subject property, information provided by the
City of Okemah, and observations of the environmental professional. The result of this
assessment, as written in this report, is valid as of the date of report. The assessment
does not include sampling of rock, groundwater, surface water, or air. For qualifications
of environmental professionals see Appendix A.
2.5 Special Terms and Conditions
This assessment report has been prepared for the City of Okemah by the DEQ using
EPA funding. Information about this report will be provided to the EPA for its files. This
report and the working file are public record and subject to the Oklahoma Open Records
Act and the federal Freedom of Information Act.
3.0 SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND HISTORY
3.1 Location and Legal Description
The subject property is to the east of Industrial Road, to the north of Sertco Road, and
to the south of Glen Johnson Loop, at 302 South Sertco Road in Okemah, Oklahoma.
The subject property is located at latitude 35.429186 and longitude -96.281846. The
subject property consists of approximately 14.00 acres of land and contains two
buildings from the former National Guard Armory. A site map and topographical map
depicting the subject property have been provided in Appendix F.
The subject property is located in the Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) of Section 17,
Township 11 North, and Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian, Okfuskee County,
Oklahoma. The subject property’s legal location is described as beginning at the
southwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 17; thence on an assumed
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bearing of East, along the south line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00
feet; thence North 00 degrees 08 minutes West, along a line parallel with the west line
of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 660.00 feet; thence West, along a line parallel
with the south line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00 feet; thence South
00 degrees 08 minutes East, along the west line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance
of 660.00 feet to the point of beginning, containing 14.00 acres more or less.
Okfuskee County Courthouse Records showed the following history on the subject
property.
· On February 7, 1983, the subject property within the Northwest Quarter of
Section 17, Township 11 North, Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian, Okfuskee
County, Oklahoma was granted to the State of Oklahoma by the City of Okemah
for the use of the property as a National Guard Armory.
· On October 20, 2011, the property in the Northwest Quarter of Section 17,
Township 11 North, Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian, Okfuskee County was
granted to the City of Okemah, Oklahoma, by the State of Oklahoma, acting by
and through the Oklahoma Military Department. The property transferred is
described as beginning at the southwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of said
Section 17; thence on an assumed bearing of East, along the south line of said
Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees and 08
minutes West, along a line parallel with the west line of said Northwest Quarter, a
distance of 660.00 feet; thence West, along a line parallel with the south line of
said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 08
minutes East, along the west line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 660.00
feet to the point of beginning, containing 14.00 acres more or less.
3.2 Site and Vicinity Characterization
The former Okemah Armory was built in 1984. According to Okfuskee County land
records, the land for the building was owned by the City of Okemah and deeded to the
State of Oklahoma for the use as a National Guard Armory on February 7, 1983 (see
Appendix G). The subject property is a tract of land about 14 acres in size, and is
located at 302 South Sertco Road in Okemah, Oklahoma. The area where the subject
property and adjacent properties are located is best characterized as park land,
industrial park land, and agricultural land. Park land, in the form of a golf course and a
lake, surrounds the subject property to the west. A former Okemah Flying Field is also
to the west northwest of the property. An industrial park is to the south of the subject
property. A former industrial building is just north of the subject property. To the east of
the former Okemah Armory building is vacant land and agricultural land. A review of the
topographical map indicated that the surface elevation of the site is approximately 850
feet above mean sea level. The topographical gradient is south southwest, toward
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Battle Creek. Battle Creek is located approximately 0.2 miles southwest of the site. The
topographical map can be found in Appendix F.
3.3 Description of Structures, Roads, and Other Improvements
The subject property consists to two buildings, the former armory building and the
former armory motor pool. The floor tiles in the hallway were chipped. Black mastic was
noticed under the damaged tiles. There was one missing window observed in the
Armory Drill Floor. The office rooms and hallways had water damage on the ceiling. The
motor pool building showed some damage to the wall insulation as well as stains and
pooled water on the concrete slab. Roads surrounding the Armory are paved with
asphalt. The paved parking lot on the north side of the armory was found to have
yellow paint stripes that contain lead-based paint.
3.4 Owner, Property Manager, and Occupant Information
The subject property is owned by the City of Okemah and is currently unoccupied. The
DEQ Site Cleanup Assistance Program (SCAP) is in charge of identifying environmental
hazards and conducting the lead and asbestos cleanup of the Armory. The Oklahoma
Military Department transferred ownership of the armory to the City of Okemah prior to
completion of remedial activities (Appendix G).
3.5 Information Reported by User Regarding Environmental Lien or
Specialized Knowledge or Experience
The property owner and/or representatives reported no environmental liens on the
subject property, and had no specialized knowledge or experience regarding recognized
environmental conditions. The DEQ conducted a search for environmental liens at the
Okfuskee County Courthouse. No environmental liens or use limitations were reported
for the subject property, other than the one issued by the DEQ on February 12, 2013 for
the cleanup of asbestos and lead-based paint and dust conducted by the DEQ SCAP,
and this notice of remediation and land use restriction appears in the Brownfield IC
database.
3.6 Commonly Known or Reasonably Ascertainable Information
Jerry Turner, City Manager of Okemah, had no exceptional knowledge of commonly
known or reasonably ascertainable information about possible environmental conditions
on the subject property. It is known within the community that the building functioned as
a National Guard Armory.
3.7 Valuation Reduction for Environmental Issues
Valuation of the subject property is outside the scope of this assessment. A
professional appraiser should be consulted to place a value on the property.
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3.8 Current Use of the Property
The buildings are currently empty. The rest of the subject property is vacant land.
3.9 Past Use of the Property
3.9.1 Review of Aerial Photographs
Historic aerial photographs were searched to view the changes to the subject
property over time. The 1943 aerial photograph was found at the Oklahoma
Department of Libraries. The 1954 aerial photograph was found in the records at
the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The aerial photographs
from 1995, 2003, 2005, and 2012 were found on Google Earth. The aerial
photograph from 2010 was found in the records at the Oklahoma Department of
Environmental Quality. All of these photographs are located in Appendix C. The
following represents a summary of what was found at the subject property from
each photograph.
1943 aerial photograph
The 1943 aerial photograph shows the subject property to be agricultural land.
South of the subject property there is a railroad running diagonally from the
northwest to the southeast. There are two creeks on the adjacent property to the
west, which appear to be tributaries to Battle Creek. The structures associated
with the armory are not present in the photograph.
1954 aerial photograph
The 1954 aerial photograph shows the subject property to be agricultural land.
The structures associated with the armory are not present in the photograph. The
adjoining properties to the north, south, east, and west are undeveloped. The
river flows into a lake on the adjacent property to the west.
1995 aerial photograph
The 1995 aerial photograph shows buildings on the subject property. There is an
airport flying field on the adjacent property to the west, north of the lake. No
apparent environmental conditions were noted from the photograph.
2003 aerial photograph
The 2003 aerial photograph shows some changes from the 1995 aerial
photograph. The photograph shows a building to the north of the subject
property. No apparent environmental conditions were noted from the
photograph.
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2005 aerial photograph
The 2005 aerial photograph shows no significant changes from the 2003 aerial
photograph.
2010 aerial photograph
The 2010 aerial photograph shows no significant changes from the 2005 or the
2003 photograph.
2012 aerial photograph
The 2012 aerial photograph shows no significant changes from the 2010, 2005 or
the 2003 photograph, except for the visible pile of asphalt that was also noticed
during the site visit.
3.9.2 Fire Insurance Maps
Sanborn Fire Insurance maps were viewed and downloaded from the Oklahoma
Department of Libraries website (Ref. 6). Sanborn maps of the city of Okemah
were found for 1914, 1923, 1930, and 1930-1949. However, none of these
Sanborn maps showed the subject property or any adjoining properties.
3.10 Current and Past Uses of Adjoining Properties
The aerial images from 1943 and 1954 showed that the subject property and the
adjoining properties consisted of vacant or agricultural land.
Records of the lake restoration plan conducted by the National Guard in the early 1990s
describe the following environmental conditions on the property to the west of the
armory building (Appendix P).
· The lake directly west of the subject property was drained in the late 1980s and
members of the Horizontal Construction Platoon used it to conduct MOS
Sustainment Training. The lake was cleared, made deeper, and the dam was
improved so it could be refilled with water.
· The lake area was previously used as a dump. The dump was closed in the
1940s and the lake was built on top. Evidence of dumped material appears
mainly when old bottles will surface.
· South of the lake there used to be sewage retention ponds.
Interviews with past occupants revealed the following other past uses of adjoining
properties (Appendix B):
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· Quantum Industries manufactured modular homes. The building to the north of
the subject property belonged to Quantum Industries.
· There was an airport to the west northwest of the subject property, north of the
lake.
· Sertco Industries, a company that manufactures natural gas compressors, is to
the south southeast of the subject property.
· There used to be old oil wells across from the runway of the airport flying field.
During the site visit on April 5, 2012, adjoining properties were observed to contain the
following:
· To the north of the subject property is a building that was formerly occupied by
Quantum. This building is now vacant.
· To the east of the subject property is vacant land.
· To the south of the subject property there are a few buildings and vacant land.
The building directly to the south of the subject property houses the United
States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
(USDA NRCS). To the southeast of the subject property is Sertco Industries, a
company that manufactures natural gas compressors. The area to the south and
southeast of the subject property is considered the Okemah Industrial Park.
· To the west of the subject property is a lake. North of the lake, and to the west
northwest of the subject property, is a golf course. Also north of the lake is the
Okemah Flying Field, an unpaved airport. South of the lake, there is a facility
used as an overflow pond for treated wastewater and another smaller lake.
3.11 Environmental (Physical) Setting
The DEQ reviewed several sources to obtain information on the physical setting of the
subject property and its surrounding areas. These sources include: The United States
Department of Agriculture Oklahoma County Soil Survey, Oklahoma Geological Survey,
Oklahoma Water Resource Board data viewer, and the Federal Emergency
Management Association. Review of the physical setting of the area is to evaluate the
sensitivity of the hydrogeology to potential contamination from sources either on or near
the site.
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3.11.1 Surface Water Characteristics
The topography of the area is relatively flat. The former Okemah Armory is
located at a surface elevation of approximately 850 feet above mean sea level.
The topographical gradient is to the south-southwest, towards Battle Creek.
Battle Creek is located approximately 0.2 miles southwest of the site. There is no
public water supply intake point within a 1 mile radius of the site. The public
water supply intake for the City of Okemah is Okemah Lake, approximately 8
miles north of the subject property.
No surface water bodies are on the subject property. A large lake is on the
adjoining property directly to the west of the subject property. The lake is known
as Oknoname 107007 Reservoir. South of this reservoir, on the other side of
Glen Johnson Loop, there is a smaller lake, Airport Lake and an overflow pond
for treated sewage water.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), the
subject property is in an area adjacent to, but outside of, the Zone A flood plain.
According to FEMA (Ref. 15), Zone A is the area subject to inundation by the 1-
percent-annual-chance flood event generally determined using approximate
methodologies. The structure is outside of the Zone A flood boundary line. A
map of this information is located in Appendix D.
The subject property obtains its drinking water from the City of Okemah, which
uses Okemah Lake for its water source. Okemah Lake is located 8 miles north
of the town of Okemah and is a different lake than the lakes discussed above.
3.11.2 Subsurface Geological Characterization
According to the Soil Survey of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, the subject
property consists mainly of Eram loams. The subject property soils are
composed approximately 94% of Eram clay loams (EraE) and 6%of Eram silt
loams (ErmC). The Eram clay loams exhibit 5 to 12 percent slopes and are
moderately well drained. The depth to water table is about 12 to 24 inches and
paralithic bedrock is 20 to 40 inches deep. Eram clay loams have a moderate
available water capacity of about 6.6 inches. A typical profile consists of clay
loam from 0 to 8 inches, silty clay from 8 to 22 inches, silty clay from 22 to 28
inches, and bedrock from 38 to 45 inches.
Eram silt loams exhibit 3 to 5 percent slopes and are also moderately well
drained. Eram silt loams have a moderate available water capacity of about 6.1
inches.
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Minor components include Bates, Coweta, and Dennis soils. A soil report for the
subject property produced by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (Ref.
17) is included in Appendix K.
3.11.3 Ground Water Characteristics
The hydrogeology as reported by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board
(OWRB) indicates that there is no major aquifer in this area. The minor
groundwater basin in this area is the East-Central Oklahoma Basin. The average
hydraulic conductivity is 1.25 K*(ft/day) with an average saturated thickness of
112 feet.
The OWRB Reported Well Log Viewer was utilized to make a map of
groundwater and monitoring wells within a 1 mile radius of the subject property.
The closest monitoring well to the subject property is located 0.78 miles to the
southwest and was used for site assessment purposes. There are no wells
within 0.25 miles of the subject property, and two wells within ½ mile of the
subject property. Both wells within ½ mile of the subject property were used for
soil evaluation. The closest groundwater well is 0.98 miles northeast of the
subject property, and is a domestic groundwater well. For a list and map of wells
that are within 1 mile of the subject property, see Appendix M.
3.11.4 Air Characteristics
No air emissions were noticed at the subject property or the adjoining properties.
The DEQ data viewer database was searched for Air Quality Permitted Facilities
(AQPF) and 2012 Point Source Emissions. No AQPF or 2012 Point Source
Emissions were found within 1 mile radius from the subject property. No odors
were noticed outside of the subject property during the site visit. However, there
is a potential for lead dust and asbestos emissions from the subject property.
4.0 RECORDS REVIEW
A regulatory database search was conducted by the DEQ. This search included, at a
minimum, those records and distances from the site dictated as appropriate in the
ASTM standard. The DEQ performed a review of available federal and state databases
to assess whether the subject property or proximate properties were listed as having
environmental concerns, which could have an adverse impact on the subject property.
The following provides a summary of the databases reviewed.
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4.1 Federal National Priorities List (NPL)
The EPA database was searched for NPL sites near the subject property within the
ASTM’s recommended search radius of one mile (Ref. 8). The subject property is not a
listed NPL site. There are no NPL sites reported within a one-mile radius of the subject
property.
There is also an EPA database for Deleted NPL sites, which ASTM requires to be
reported within ½ mile of the subject property (Ref. 9). No deleted NPL sites are within
the ½ mile search radius. A list of all sites in Oklahoma on the NPL, Deleted NPL,
Proposed NPL, Partially NPL, and Construction Completion NPL sites is include in
Appendix N.
4.2 Federal CERCLIS List
The EPA database for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA) Information Systems (CERCLIS) was searched for active and
archived CERCLIS sites on and near the subject property (Ref. 10). The ASTM’s
recommended search radius of the subject property for both active and archived
CERCLIS sites is ½ mile. No active CERCLIS sites were found within ½ mile of the
subject property. The subject property is not listed on the archived CERCLIS list. The
search results are included in Appendix N.
4.3 Federal RCRA CORRACTs List
The EPA database for RCRA facilities subject to corrective action was searched within
the ASTM’s required minimum distance of one mile of the subject property (Ref. 11).
No RCRA CORRACT facility was found within the one-mile radius of the subject
property. The search result is included in Appendix J.
4.4 Federal RCRA non-CORRACTS TSD List
The EPA database for RCRA facilities not subject to corrective action was searched
within the ASTM’s required minimum distance of ½ mile of the subject property (Ref.
11). No RCRA non-CORRACT Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) sites are within
the ½ mile radius of the subject property. The search result is included in Appendix J.
4.5 Federal RCRA Generators List
The EPA RCRA Notifiers database was searched for RCRA generators within the
ASTM’s required minimum search distance of the subject property (Ref. 11). The
minimum distance is the subject property and adjoining properties. The subject
property did not have any RCRA notifiers or generators. No large quantity generators or
small quantity generators were reported within the subject property and its adjoining
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properties. For a list of RCRA notifiers or generators in Okemah, Oklahoma see
Appendix J.
4.6 Federal ERNS List
Emergency Response Notification system (ERNS) maintained by the National
Response Center was searched for any hazardous substance releases or spills within
the subject property (Ref. 12). ASTM requires a minimum search distance of the
subject property only when identifying ERNS cases. No ERNS sites were reported
within the subject property or the adjoining properties. The ERNS data for all results
near the City of Okemah is included in Appendix I.
4.7 Federal Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries
Federal Institutional Control/Engineering Control registries are under development but
not available at this time. There are no known Institutional Controls/Engineering
Controls on the subject property according to the representatives of the subject
property, and a search of county land records.
4.8 State-Equivalent NPL
DEQ does not have a State-equivalent NPL database. Oklahoma does not have a
State Superfund law to establish a State-equivalent NPL database.
4.9 State-Equivalent CERCLIS
DEQ does not have a State-equivalent CERCLIS database.
4.10 State Landfill and / or Solid Waste Disposal Sites
DEQ regulates landfills and solid waste disposal sites across the State of Oklahoma
(Ref. 13). State landfills and solid waste disposal facilities were searched in the DEQ
database within the ASTM required minimum distance of ½ mile from the subject
property. No permitted landfills or solid waste disposal facilities are located within the
search distance of the subject property. The search results are included in Appendix N.
The Okemah City Lake Environmental Assessment from April 28, 1992 found in the
Oklahoma Department of Military records, details that part of the lake immediately to the
west of the subject property consists of a dump resulting from the demolition of the old
city hall. No municipal dumping is recorded. The report is attached in Appendix P.
4.11 State Leaking UST List
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission UST Notification Database and the Oklahoma
Water Resources Board (OWRB) data viewer were searched to locate any known
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LUSTs sites located within the ASTM’s minimum search distance of a ½ mile of the
subject property. There were no LUST sites found within the ½ mile radius. A map and
list of all LUST sites found in the City of Okemah are included in Appendix M.
4.12 State Registered UST Sites
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission UST Notification Database was searched to
locate registered USTs located within the ASTM’s minimum search distance of the
subject property and its adjoining properties. There were no registered USTs found on
the subject property or its adjoining properties. A record from the Oklahoma Military
Department dated November 5, 1998 shows that no tanks were found on the Okemah
Armory (Appendix L). Furthermore, there were no UST sites found on the OCC
database within ½ mile of the subject property.
4.13 State Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries
The DEQ Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registry for Brownfields, Voluntary
Cleanup program, Site Cleanup Assistance Program, and Superfund (Ref.18) was
searched. There is one deed notice of remediation on the subject property. Institutional
controls include no residential use of the property by children under age 6 and no use of
the IFR as a child occupied facility. The deed notice is included in Appendix G.
4.14 State Voluntary Cleanup Sites
The DEQ VCP database was searched for VCP sites within the required ASTM search
distance of ½ mile of the subject property (Ref. 14). No VCP sites are located on or
within ½ mile of the subject property.
4.15 State Brownfield Sites
The DEQ Brownfield database was searched for Brownfield sites within the required
ASTM search distance of ½ mile of the subject property (Ref. 14). No Brownfield sites
were found on or within ½ mile of the subject property.
4.16 Oil and Gas Records
The subject property is located in the SW ¼ NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 11 N,
Range 10 E, Indian Meridian. DEQ performed a search of oil and gas records from the
OCC’s oil and gas records database. The subject property is in an area where there is
a history of oil and gas development. Oil and gas records were searched to record the
known history of well development on and near this site. A search area consisted of the
subject property as described from the legal location above and the quarter, quarter,
quarter sections directly above and up gradient of the site. The following describes
each well record found in adjacent areas. Search results for wells near the area are
located in Appendix L.
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· The Town of Okemah #2 well is located in the SE ¼ of the NE ¼ of the
NE ¼ of Section 18, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on October 1, 1987 and
was completed on November 5, 1987. The well was an oil and gas
disposal well closed due to depleted production and operated by Audrain
Biddy. According to the well record, drilling was completed on May 21,
1960, and oil and gas production occurred only on May 24, 1960. During
this process the well was operated by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
· The Town of Okemah #3 well is located in the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of the
NE ¼ of Section 18, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on August 22, 1977 and
was completed on August 25, 1977. The well was a disposal-injection well
closed because of lack of effectiveness in secondary recovery and was
operated by Audrain Biddy. According to the well record, drilling was
completed on June 18, 1960, and oil production occurred only on June 20,
1960. During this process the well was operated by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
· The Town of Okemah #4 well is located in the NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of the
NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on September 9, 1977
and was completed on September 9, 1977. The well was an oil injection
disposal well closed because of lack of effectiveness in secondary
recovery and was operated by Audrain Biddy. According to the well
record, drilling was completed on July 26, 1960, and oil production
occurred only on July 29, 1960. During this process the well was operated
by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
· The Town of Okemah #5 well is located in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of the
NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on July 21, 1977 and
was completed on August 18, 1977. The well was an oil well closed due to
unfeasible production and was operated by Audrain Biddy. According to
the well record the drilling was completed on December 23, 1960 and oil
production occurred from January 5, 1961 to March 9, 1961. During this
process the well was operated by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
4.17 State Environmental Complaints and Local Services Response
The DEQ State Environmental Complaints and Local Services database was searched
for the subject property. No complaints have been reported for the subject property
(Appendix N).
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4.18 Dry Cleaner Databases
The DEQ databases for dry cleaners (Ref. 19) and yellowpages.com (Ref.20) was
searched for dry cleaners in the City of Okemah. No active dry cleaners were found. No
current or historic dry cleaners were found within the search radius of 1.0 mile.
Table 1 shows a summary of the search results. A more detailed table can be found in
Appendix N.
One active laundry service was found: Okemah Laundry at 15 W Broadway St.,
Okemah, OK 74859. This location is reported to have laundromats and commercial
laundries (Appendix N).
Table 1: Search results of present and historical dry cleaners in the City of Okemah.
Status
Present Dry
Cleaners Address City
Distance to
Armory (miles) Direction
None currently operating
Closed C and A Cleaner 316 W
Broadway
Okemah 1.23 W
Years
Historic Dry
Cleaners Address City
Distance to
Armory (miles) Direction
1974-81 Quality Cleaners 111 S 4th Okemah 1.29 W
1941-73 Band Box Cleaners 112 N 4th Okemah 1.29 W
1941-43 Rushing Cleaners 116 N 3rd Okemah 1.22 W
1941-53 Wardrobe Cleaners 128 N 5th Okemah 1.36 W
1954-55 ABC Cleaners 128 N 5th Okemah 1.36 W
1984-84 Crosdy's
Laundromat & Dry
Cleaners
404 N 4th Okemah 1.34 W
1949-74 Quality Cleaners 408 W
Broadway
Okemah 1.30 W
5.0 SITE RECONNAISSANCE AND INTERVIEWS
5.1 Methodology and Limiting Conditions
A site reconnaissance of the subject property located at 302 South Sertco Road,
Okemah, Oklahoma, was performed on April 5, 2012. Rachel Francks, Rebecca
Marfurt, and Franziska Landes of the DEQ met the caretaker of the subject property,
Jerry Turner, Okemah City Manager at Okemah City Hall and were escorted to the site.
Jerry Turner introduced Francks, Marfurt, and Landes to the site and to Ron Gott,
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Commander Sergeant Major and Mayor of the City of Okemah. Mayor Gott has been
involved with the armory building extensively and served at the Okemah Armory from
the late 1970s to 2006. Mayor Gott answered questions to the best of his knowledge on
the site. Mr. Turner and Mayor Gott lead Francks, Marfurt, and Landes inside the
building and gave their knowledge about what the building was used for and what kinds
of activities occurred there in the past. All areas of the building were observed noting
any environmental conditions that might need additional investigation. The entire
outside area of the armory building was walked around for observations that might need
additional investigation as well. A complete walk around the entire 14 acres of the
property was not conducted.
5.2 General Site conditions
The former Okemah Armory property is composed of a brick building of approximately
17,292 square feet and of a separate metal motor pool building on a concrete slab. The
northern part of the main building was used as office space. The southern part of the
main building includes the drill floor and attached to the south side of the drill floor is an
indoor firing range (IFR). The building was built in 1984. The building is currently
unoccupied.
The property surrounding the building consists of a grassy area to the east that extends
past the east fence approximately 660 feet and is part of the subject property; a parking
lot to the north; a paved road, South Sertco Road, to the west, beyond which is a lake, a
golf course, and a former airport flying field; and a grassy area and then a Motor Pool
building to the south. The subject property is outside to the east of the main portion of
the City of Okemah, to the north of the Okemah Industrial Park, and paved streets are
located to the north and west of the subject property. The following are general site
conditions that were evaluated on the subject property and adjacent properties.
5.2.1 Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs)
No ASTs were found on the subject property during the site reconnaissance.
5.2.2 Landfills and/or Dumping
No landfills, dumping, or severely disturbed soil were found on the subject
property. There is an empty dumpster onsite, which is accessible from the road
and therefore could be a source of future dumping. Piles of asphalt were noticed
on the subject property, just south of the main armory building.
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5.2.3 Impoundments
No impoundments were observed at the subject property. Drainage from the
street to the west is routed to a drainage ditch on the west side of the subject
property and drainage from the parking lot to the north may pool between the
parking lot and the north side of the main building. Directly to the west, across
the street from the subject property, there is a medium sized lake with a width of
approximately 1,500 feet.
5.2.4 Monitoring Wells
No monitoring wells were observed on the subject property. See Section 3.11.3
and Appendix M for monitoring wells found on adjacent properties in a search of
the Oklahoma Water Resources Board records.
5.2.5 Disturbed and Stained Soils
A patch of stained soil approximately one foot across was observed at the
subject property in between the main building and the motor pool building (Figure
46, Appendix B). The stained soil is a potential environmental contaminant (PEC)
in accordance with ASTM 1528-06 (Ref. 22). Minimal soil disturbance was also
noted.
5.2.6 Seeps
No seeps of any kind were observed at the subject property.
5.2.7 Chemical Spills
No evidence of possible chemical spills was observed on the subject property.
There were also no known chemical spills reported by the interviewee.
5.2.8 Farm Waste
No farm waste was observed at the subject property.
5.2.9 Known Pesticide Misapplication
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No known pesticide misapplications were detected during the site visit or during
the supportive research.
5.2.10 Discharges and Runoff from Adjacent Property Affecting the Site
Rainwater runs off the paved road to the west, Industrial Road, to a drainage
ditch that runs along the west side of the subject property. No other runoff from
adjacent properties was observed. No potential pollutants were observed on the
neighbor’s properties that may affect the armory.
5.2.11 Petroleum Products and Oil and Natural Gas Exploration
An oil-water separator was found on the site, on the east side of the main armory
building. DEQ took samples from the oil-water separator and tested the soil for
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) levels. The highest result was 43 mg/kg of
TPH Diesel Range Organics (DRO) in the soil sediment, which is below the
recommended cleanup level of 50 mg/kg. The lab results are attached in
Appendix O.
A Memorandum for Record filed by the Oklahoma Military Department on
November 18, 1999, shows that at that time the vehicle washrack oil/water
separator was no longer being used and was scheduled for closure. Although it
had not been officially closed, it had been cleaned in October 1999 (Appendix P).
No oil or natural gas exploration was observed during the site visit.
5.2.12 Asbestos
Since many of the State armories were built before the 1970s, or used materials
produced before the 1970s, there is a high potential of finding ACM in the armory
buildings. The U.S. began banning the use of asbestos in most building products
in the 1970s due to studies confirming the harmful health effects caused by
exposure to airborne asbestos. ACM is commonly found in insulation wrapping of
the heating pipes and/or heaters, roofing materials, ceiling tiles, window putty,
mastic, and floor tiles. Floor tiles that are 9 x 9 inches have been found to
regularly contain asbestos.
DEQ’s contractor, GMR & Associates, sampled, analyzed, and assessed the
armory for asbestos in February 2012. Non-friable asbestos was found in the
mastic on the non-asbestos floor tile in the hallway and the main entrance. The
mastic on the twelve by twelve inch brown floor tile in the hallway, covering
approximately 1,450 square feet, was found to contain 7% chrysotile. The mastic
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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on the twelve by twelve inch gray and blue floor tile, covering approximately 45
square feet was also found to contain 7-8% chrysotile asbestos. All other
samples, including ceiling tiles, floor tiles, air duct mastic, drywall, carpet mastic,
water elbows, and drywall dividers did not contain asbestos. The report from
GMR & Associates is attached in Appendix O.
5.2.13 Lead
DEQ has noticed the following common surfaces that have painted with lead-based
paint in Oklahoma National Guard armories: doors, door frames,
handrails, windows, window bars, wall trim, walls, overhead door frames, and
downspouts in various places inside and outside of the building.
GMR & Associates conducted a lead-based paint inspection of the former
National Guard Armory building in February 2012. The lead-based paint
inspection was conducted on the interior and exterior walls of the Former
National Guard Armory building. EPA’s threshold for lead-based paints is 1.0
mg/cm2. Lead-based paint was found to contain 1.8 mg/cm2 lead in the yellow
parking stripes in the parking lot. Lead-containing tiles were found to contain
between 7.3 and 10.1 mg/cm2 lead in the kitchen and the bathrooms. No other
areas that were surveyed tested positive for lead-based paint. The report from
GMR & Associates is attached in Appendix O.
GMR & Associates Inc. completed a Survey for Lead in Settled Dust of the
former National Guard Armory building in February 2012. The EPA/HUD
recommended maximum concentration for lead in settled dust is 40 micrograms
per square foot for floors and 250 micrograms per square foot for window sills.
Lead concentrations in settled dust exceeded these recommendations in the floor
of Room 14 (55.9 μg/ft2), on the window sill of Room 10 (539 μg/ft2), and in the
floor of the IFR (1,720 μg/ft2). The report from GMR & Associates is attached in
Appendix O.
In addition, DEQ conducted composite soil samples from two areas on the
subject property for lead. Map F-5 in Appendix F shows the approximate
locations of the soil samples collected by DEQ. The samples contained 13.5
mg/kg and 16.2 mg/kg lead, both far below the EPA cleanup level of 400 mg/kg.
5.2.14 Transformers/PCB Equipment
Fluorescent lighting ballasts were found throughout the entire building. It is
unknown if the ballasts contain PCBs. None of the ballasts appeared to have
leaks.
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There were about 4 pole-mounted transformers observed around the subject
property. All transformers appeared to be in good condition. It is unknown if the
transformers contain PCBs. No other Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)
contamination or other PCB-containing equipment was observed at the site.
5.3 External Observations
External observation at the subject property showed the following: stained soil between
the main building and motor pool building, the oil-water separator, and hooks on the
east fence line that were reported to have been used to hold drums for hazardous
material.
A parking lot is adjacent to the north side of the main building. An annex building, the
motor pool building, is located to the south of the main building. A concrete pad was
noticed on the east side of the main building, approximately due east from the IFR. The
rest of the subject property is covered with grass vegetation. A fence surrounds the
southern side of the main building and encircles the motor pool building. The subject
property continues east beyond the fence line. The west side of the building has a
gravel driveway and is also vegetated. Photographs of the external view of the site can
be found in Appendix B.
5.4 Internal Observations
The building was last used by the Oklahoma Army National Guard and has been
unoccupied for about a year. The one story building was constructed from brick in 1984.
Before construction of the armory building, the land was owned by the City of Okemah.
During the site visit on April 5, 2012 it was noted that the floor in the main building had
chipped floor tiles in the hallway and black mastic showing under the chipped tiles.
There was one missing window observed in the Armory Drill Floor. Water damage was
apparent on the ceiling of the office rooms and hallways. A gas stove and dishwasher
remained in the kitchen. The motor pool building showed some damages in the wall
insulation as well as stains and pooled water on the concrete slab. No chemicals or
military equipment were observed on site. Photographs of the internal view of the site
can be found in Appendix B. A map of the structure is included in Appendix F with notes
taken by Franziska Landes during the site visit on April 5, 2012.
5.5 Interviews
Commander Sergeant Major and Mayor of the City of Okemah, Ron Gott, provided
historical and environmental information about the site. He has been involved with the
armory building extensively and served in Okemah Armory from the late 1970s to 2006
and is, therefore, a good point of contact for knowledge of the building. He was not
aware of any present environmental concerns on the subject property or adjacent
properties. Below is the information obtained from Mayor Gott (Appendix B).
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· There has been no industrial use of the subject property. The surrounding
properties to the north and south are part of an industrial park. There used
to be an airport flying field across the street to the west. Sertco Industries
south of the subject property builds compressor units. Quantum industries
built modular homes to the east, northeast.
· Mayor Gott knows of no chemical spills on the subject property. To his
knowledge, the only chemicals used at the facility were for housekeeping
purposes and automotive maintenance.
· There used to be drums located on the east fence that were used to
dispose of potentially hazardous materials from vehicle maintenance.
· There used to be old oil wells across the road from the subject property
where the runway for the airport was.
· The City of Okemah wants to use the building for a head start center.
· The firing range was closed in the early 1980s. The sand was removed
but it is not known where it was disposed of.
· Airport Lake is to the west of the subject property. South of the lake there
are lagoons that hold treated wastewater that is later discharged to the
creek.
· Mayor Gott does not know of any fill dirt, radiation signs, water
impoundments, stained soil, chemical spills, groundwater seeps, ground
water or surface water contamination, discharges of runoff from nearby
properties, and vent pipes or fill pipes on the subject property.
· Mayor Gott does not know of any hazardous air emissions on the property
or nearby.
· Mayor Gott is not aware of any underground storage tanks that were used
on the subject property in the past or present.
6.0 FINDINGS
Summarized below are the major findings from this Targeted Brownfield Assessment
and DEQ’s recommendations. The major findings of the highest environmental concern
are presented first.
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· The subject property contained an oil-water separator. An old correspondence
from Oklahoma Department of Military records shows that this has been cleaned
in 1999. Soil sediment samples collected from the oil-water separator found the
TPH levels were below the action levels at 43 mg/kg. Therefore, no further action
is necessary. The former contamination in the oil/water separator is considered
an HREC.
· There used to be drums located on the east fence that were used to dispose of
potentially hazardous materials from vehicle maintenance.
· There are two buildings on site: the main armory building and the motor pool
building. The main armory building contains office space in the north part of the
structure, a kitchen, drill floor, and the IFR. A gas stove and dishwasher
remained in the kitchen. The kitchen and restrooms were found to have tiles that
returned positive values for lead with an XRF reading. However, this lead is
thought to be encapsulated, since it is contained within the tile.
· A patch of stained soil was found between the main building and motor pool
building
· The former Okemah Armory was built in 1984. The land for the building was
deeded by the City of Okemah to the State of Oklahoma, on February 7, 1983,
for benefit of the Oklahoma National Guard. The subject property was managed
and maintained by the Oklahoma Military Department (on behalf of the State of
Oklahoma) until October 20, 2011 when the subject property was transferred to
the City of Okemah. The subject property is currently owned by the City of
Okemah. A MOA was signed between the City of Okemah and the Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Quality on October 3, 2011 (Appendix H). Cleanup
activities have been completed and a notice of remediation and land use
restriction dated February 12, 2013 was filed in the Okfuskee County Courthouse
(Appendix G).
· The subject property is located on the eastern outskirts of the City of Okemah.
Therefore, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps do not show the subject property or the
adjacent property. Historical aerial photographs show the various stages of the
lake and the surrounding buildings, the airport flying field runways, and vacant
land surrounding the subject property. Aerial images through 1954 show that the
subject property was vacant and agricultural land. A search through country
records show that the first deed transaction on the site was in 1983 when the City
of Okemah deeded the subject property to the State of Oklahoma for the use by
the National Guard.
· Adjoining properties consist of a lake, a golf course and a former airport flying
field to the west; a vacant building that used to be Quantum Industries, which
manufactured modular homes, to the north; Sertco Industries, a company
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manufacturing natural gas compressors, to the south; and vacant land and
agricultural land to the east.
· A previous environmental assessment completed by the military department on
the area that is now the lake to the west indicates that part of the lake bed is an
old city dump used for construction and demolition waste. This is on an adjacent
property to the west.
· No NPL sites, deleted NPL sites, archived CERCLIS sites, RCRA subject to
corrective action (CORRACTS) sites, RCRA non-corrective actions (non-
CORRACTS) treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) listings, ERNS listings,
RCRA generators, VCP sites, Brownfield sites, or State landfills and/or solid
waste disposal sites were found on the subject property or within ASTM
recommended search radii. No environmental complaints have been reported to
DEQ for the subject property. The subject property is on the DEQ SCAP list for
cleanup of lead and asbestos contamination and remediation has been
completed. DEQ issued a notice of remediation and land use restriction dated
February 12, 2013 that was filed in the Okfuskee County Courthouse.
Institutional controls include no residential use of the property by children under
age 6 and no use of the IFR as a child occupied facility. The deed notice is
included in Appendix G.
· According to OCC records there are no suspected USTs on site. No other
records or indication of a possible UST exist. A search for LUSTs within the
ASTM search radius shows no LUSTs within ½ mile or up-gradient of the subject
property.
· Oil and gas exploration and production was found in the OCC oil and gas records
on the adjoining properties. There was no record of oil and gas production on
the subject property.
· Several pole-mounted transformers were noted to east of the armory building,
and it is unknown if they contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Fluorescent
lighting ballasts are located throughout the offices, storage rooms, kitchen, and
restrooms in the main armory building as well as throughout the motor pool
building. The lighting ballasts all appeared to be in good condition. The lights in
the drill floor and the motor pool building contained both incandescent bulbs and
fluorescent lighting. All fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and should be handled
as Universal Waste unless documentation and/or sampling demonstrate they are
not hazardous.
· No current or historic dry cleaners were found within the search radius of 1.0
mile.
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Okemah, Oklahoma
30
7.0 OPINION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Due to the past use of the subject property and the contamination found on the subject
property, it is believed that cleanup of lead and asbestos will be necessary.
8.0 DATA GAPS
No tribal information was obtained for this assessment. No tax records, city directories,
or zoning records were reviewed for this report. A data gap exists from the aerial photos
between 1954 and 1995. Since the subject property does not appear on Sanborn maps,
there is no direct knowledge of what occurred on the subject property until 1983 other
than what is shown in aerial photographs and topographic maps. In the USGS
topographic map of 1967, no structure is shown on the subject property. Research
found no other records until 1983, and calls to the City Hall of Okemah reveal general
opinion that the subject property was vacant land owned by the city until 1983. A walk
around the entire 14 acre property was not conducted during the site visit. However,
this did not affect the ability of the DEQ to make a recommendation on the subject
property.
9.0 CONCLUSIONS
We have performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment in conformance with the
scope and limitations of ASTM Practice E 1527-05 of the Former Okemah Armory
located at 302 South Sertco Road, Okemah, Oklahoma... Any exceptions to, or
deletions from, this standard are described in Section [11.0] of this report. This
assessment has revealed no evidence of recognized environmental conditions in
connection with the property except for the following: lead dust, lead-based paint, and
asbestos contamination throughout the building.
The information provided in this assessment is to assist the City of Okemah in its
revitalization planning as well as meet the All Appropriate Inquiry requirement of the
landowner liability protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, better known as Superfund – Ref. 2), as
provided in the Small Business Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 (Public
Law 107-118, Subtitle B – Ref. 3).
10. ADDITIONAL SERVICES
In addition to this Phase I Targeted Brownfield Assessment, DEQ has provided
sampling analysis of potential asbestos, lead-based paint, lead dust sources, and select
soil and sediment samples. The DEQ SCAP is in charge of identifying environmental
hazards and conducting the cleanup of lead and asbestos at the Armory.
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
31
11. DEVIATIONS
The following deviations from ASTM Practice E 1527-05 occur in this Phase I Targeted
Brownfield Assessment. No tax records, city directories, or zoning records were
reviewed for this report. Sampling of potential asbestos, lead-based paint, lead dust
sources, and select soil and sediment samples was conducted.
12. REFERENCES
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2006). Oklahoma Brownfields
Assistance Agreement (No #RP976412010). Unpublished Document. State of
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1980). Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. (Public Law 96-510). Washington,
DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2002). Small Business Liability Relief
and Brownfields Revitalization Act. (Public Law 107-118, Subtitle B).
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
4. ASTM International. (2005). Water and Environmental Technology: Phase I
Environmental Site Assessment E 1527 – 05. Baltimore, Maryland.
5. Franziska Landes, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, interview
notes with Ron Gott, Commander Sergeant Major and Mayor of the City of
Okemah, April 5, 2012, Okemah Armory.
6. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
www.odl.state.ok.us.
7. Oklahoma Geological Survey. Morton, R.B. Effects of Brine on the Chemical Quality
of Water in Parts of Creek, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Payne, Pottawatomie and Seminole
Counties, Oklahoma. (1986).
8. EPA NPL list: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/status.htm.
9. Deleted NPL sites database:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/query/queryhtm/npldel.htm
10. CERCLIS current and archived sites:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/srchsites.cfm.
11. RCRA database: http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/rcris/rcris_query_java.html.
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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32
12. Emergency Response Notification System: http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/foia.html.
13. State Landfill site list: http://www.deq.state.ok.us/LpDnew/swindex.html.
14. Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality online data viewer.
http://www.deq.state.ok.us/mainlinks/gis/index.html
15. Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). https://msc.fema.gov.
16. RCRA NOTIFIERS sorted by county and then city:
http://www.deq.state.ok.us/LPDnew/HW/Notifiers/notifiersbycountycity.pdf.
17. National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS):
http://soils.usda.gov/survey/
18. DEQ Institutional Control (IC) / Engineering Control Registry for Brownfields,
Voluntary Cleanup program, Site Cleanup Assistance Program, and Superfund
http://www.deq.state.ok.us/lpdnew/ICviewer.html
19. Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Historic Dry Cleaner Databases.
DEQ Archives. Last accessed April 19, 2013.
20. YP Intellectual Property LLC. http://www.yellowpages.com Last accessed April 19,
2013.
21. Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Environmental Complaints and
Local Services Complaint Database. Last accessed April 19, 2013.
22. ASTM International. (2006). Standard Practice for Limited Environmental Due
Diligence: Transaction Screen Process E 1528 – 06. Baltimore, Maryland.

TARGETED BROWNFIELD
ASSESSMENT
For
Oklahoma Army National Guard
Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
ASTM E 1527-05
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
All Appropriate Inquiry
Prepared by:
July 5, 2013
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
3
Table of Contents
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 5
2.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 7
2.1 Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Detailed Scope-of-Services .......................................................................................... 8
2.3 Significant Assumptions ............................................................................................... 8
2.4 Limitations and Exceptions .......................................................................................... 8
2.5 Special Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................... 9
3.0 SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND HISTORY .................................................................. 9
3.1 Location and Legal Description .................................................................................... 9
3.2 Site and Vicinity Characterization ................................................................................10
3.3 Description of Structures, Roads, and Other Improvements ........................................11
3.4 Owner, Property Manager, and Occupant Information ................................................11
3.5 Information Reported by User Regarding Environmental Lien or Specialized
Knowledge or Experience ......................................................................................................11
3.6 Commonly Known or Reasonably Ascertainable Information ......................................11
3.7 Valuation Reduction for Environmental Issues ............................................................11
3.8 Current Use of the Property ........................................................................................12
3.9 Past Use of the Property .............................................................................................12
3.9.1 Review of Aerial Photographs .................................................................................12
3.9.2 Fire Insurance Maps ...............................................................................................13
3.10 Current and Past Uses of Adjoining Properties ...........................................................13
3.11 Environmental (Physical) Setting ................................................................................14
3.11.1 Surface Water Characteristics ...............................................................................15
3.11.2 Subsurface Geological Characterization ................................................................15
3.11.3 Ground Water Characteristics ...............................................................................16
3.11.4 Air Characteristics .................................................................................................16
4.0 RECORDS REVIEW ......................................................................................................16
4.1 Federal National Priorities List (NPL) ..........................................................................17
4.2 Federal CERCLIS List .................................................................................................17
4.3 Federal RCRA CORRACTs List ...................................................................................17
4.4 Federal RCRA non-CORRACTS TSD List ...................................................................17
4.5 Federal RCRA Generators List ....................................................................................17
4.6 Federal ERNS List .......................................................................................................18
4.7 Federal Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries ........................................18
4.8 State-Equivalent NPL ..................................................................................................18
4.9 State-Equivalent CERCLIS ..........................................................................................18
4.10 State Landfill and / or Solid Waste Disposal Sites ........................................................18
4.11 State Leaking UST List ...............................................................................................18
4.12 State Registered UST Sites ........................................................................................19
4.13 State Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries ...........................................19
4.14 State Voluntary Cleanup Sites ....................................................................................19
4.15 State Brownfield Sites .................................................................................................19
4.16 Oil and Gas Records ..................................................................................................19
4.17 State Environmental Complaints and Local Services Response ....................................20
4.18 Dry Cleaner Databases .................................................................................................21
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Okemah, Oklahoma
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5.0 SITE RECONNAISSANCE AND INTERVIEWS ............................................................21
5.1 Methodology and Limiting Conditions .........................................................................21
5.2 General Site conditions ...............................................................................................22
5.2.1 Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs) .......................................................................22
5.2.2 Landfills and/or Dumping ...................................................................................22
5.2.3 Impoundments ...................................................................................................23
5.2.4 Monitoring Wells ................................................................................................23
5.2.5 Disturbed and Stained Soils ...............................................................................23
5.2.6 Seeps ................................................................................................................23
5.2.7 Chemical Spills ..................................................................................................23
5.2.8 Farm Waste .......................................................................................................23
5.2.9 Known Pesticide Misapplication .........................................................................23
5.2.10 Discharges and Runoff from Adjacent Property Affecting the Site .....................24
5.2.11 Petroleum Products and Oil and Natural Gas Exploration .................................24
5.2.12 Asbestos ..........................................................................................................24
5.2.13 Lead .................................................................................................................25
5.2.14 Transformers/PCB Equipment .................................................................................25
5.3 External Observations .................................................................................................26
5.4 Internal Observations ...................................................................................................26
5.5 Interviews ....................................................................................................................26
6.0 FINDINGS .....................................................................................................................27
7.0 OPINION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................30
8.0 DATA GAPS..................................................................................................................30
9.0 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................30
10. ADDITIONAL SERVICES ...............................................................................................30
11. DEVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................31
12. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................31
Appendix A: Qualifications of Environmental Professionals
Appendix B: Site Visit Photographs / Site Visit Notes
Appendix C: Aerial Photographs
Appendix D: FEMA Map
Appendix E: Sanborn Maps
Appendix F: USGS Topographical Map / Site Maps
Appendix G: Deeds
Appendix H: Memorandum of Agreement between DEQ and the City of Okemah
Appendix I: ERNS
Appendix J: RCRA Generators
Appendix K: Soil Survey
Appendix L: OCC Records
Appendix M: OWRB Information
Appendix N: DEQ and EPA Searches
Appendix O: DEQ Sampling Results and Reports from GMR & Associates
Appendix P: Previous Environmental Assessments
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
5
1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On April, 5, 2012, Rachel Francks, Rebecca Marfurt, and Franziska Landes of the
Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) performed site reconnaissance
of the Former Okemah Armory located at 302 South Sertco Road, Okemah, Oklahoma
in Okfuskee County, as part of a Targeted Brownfield Assessment (TBA). The subject
property is situated in the southwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of Section 17,
Township 11 North, Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian. The purpose of the TBA was
to identify potential environmental concerns by reviewing historical data, regulatory
information, and by performing a visual inspection of the site and surrounding area. The
following is an executive summary of the environmental site assessment results:
· Results from the lead and asbestos surveys found that the subject property is
contaminated with lead dust, lead-based paint, and asbestos. The Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Quality Site Cleanup Assistance Program (SCAP)
plans to remediate the lead and asbestos contamination on the subject property
and properly dispose of all associated waste. The lead-based paint, lead dust,
and asbestos contamination in the building constitute recognized environmental
conditions (RECs).
· The subject property contained an oil-water separator. Old correspondence from
Oklahoma Military Department records shows that the oil-water separator was
cleaned in 1999. Soil sediment samples collected from the oil-water separator
found the TPH levels were below the action levels at 43 mg/kg. The oil-water
separator, prior to its 1999 cleaning, is considered an historical recognized
condition (HREC). The low levels of TPH found in the sediment of the oil-water
separator are considered a finding, since they are below action levels.
· There are two buildings on site: the main armory building and the motor pool
building. The main armory building contains office space in the north part of the
structure, a kitchen, drill floor, and the indoor firing range (IFR). A gas stove and
dishwasher remained in the kitchen. The kitchen and restrooms were found to
have tiles that returned positive values for lead with an XRF reading. However,
this lead is thought to be encapsulated, since it is contained within the tile.
· The former Okemah Armory was built in 1984. The land for the building was
deeded by the City of Okemah to the State of Oklahoma, on February 7, 1983,
for benefit of the Oklahoma National Guard. The subject property was managed
and maintained by the Oklahoma Military Department (on behalf of the State of
Oklahoma) until October 20, 2011 when the subject property was transferred to
the City of Okemah. The subject property is currently owned by the City of
Okemah. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been signed between the
City of Okemah and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality on
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
6
October 3, 2011 (Appendix H). Cleanup activities have been completed and a
notice of remediation and land use restriction dated February 12, 2013 was filed
in the Okfuskee County Courthouse (Appendix G).
· The subject property is located on the eastern outskirts of the City of Okemah.
Therefore, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps do not show the subject property or the
adjacent property. Historical aerial photographs show the various stages of the
lake and the surrounding buildings, the airport flying field runways, and vacant
land surrounding the subject property. Aerial images through 1954 show that the
subject property was vacant and agricultural land. A search through county
records showed that the first deed transaction on the site was in 1983 when the
City of Okemah deeded the subject property to the State of Oklahoma for use by
the National Guard.
· Adjoining properties consist of a lake, a golf course, and a former airport flying
field to the west a vacant building that used to be Quantum Industries, which
manufactured modular homes, to the north; Sertco Industries, a company
manufacturing natural gas compressors, to the south; and vacant land and
agricultural land to the east.
· A previous environmental assessment (Appendix P) completed by the military
department on the area that is to the west of the subject property indicates that
part of the lake bed is an old city dump used for construction and demolition
waste.
· No National Priority List (NPL) sites, deleted NPL sites, archived Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System
(CERCLIS) sites, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) subject to
corrective action (CORRACTS) sites, RCRA non-corrective actions (non-
CORRACTS) treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) listings, Emergency
Response Notification System (ERNS) listings, RCRA generators, Voluntary
Cleanup (VCP) sites, Brownfield sites, or State landfills and/or solid waste
disposal sites were found on the subject property or within ASTM recommended
search radii. No environmental complaints have been reported to DEQ for the
subject property. The subject property is on the DEQ SCAP list for cleanup of
lead and asbestos contamination and remediation has been completed. DEQ
issued a notice of remediation and land use restriction dated February 12, 2013
that was filed in the Okfuskee County Courthouse. Institutional controls include
no residential use of the property by children under age 6 and no use of the IFR
as a child occupied facility. The deed notice is included in Appendix G.
· According to Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) records there are no
suspected underground storage tanks (USTs) on site. No other records or
indication of a possible UST exist. A search for leaking underground storage
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
7
tanks (LUSTs) with the ASTM search radius shows no LUSTs within ½ mile or
up-gradient of the subject property.
· Oil and gas exploration and production was found in the OCC oil and gas records
on the adjoining properties. There was no record of oil and gas production on
the subject property.
· There used to be drums located on the east fence that were used to dispose of
potentially hazardous materials from vehicle maintenance.
· A patch of stained soil was found between the main building and motor pool
building.
· Several pole-mounted transformers were noted to the east of the armory
building, and it is unknown if they contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Fluorescent lighting ballasts are located throughout the offices, storage rooms,
kitchen, and restrooms in the main armory building as well as throughout the
motor pool building. The lighting ballasts all appeared to be in good condition.
The lights in the drill floor and the motor pool building contained both
incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lighting. All fluorescent bulbs contain
mercury and should be handled as Universal Waste unless documentation
and/or sampling demonstrate they are not hazardous.
· No current or historic dry cleaners were found within the search radius of 1.0
mile.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The State of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) under a Brownfield
Assistance Agreement (No. RP96681001-0) (Ref. 1) with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a Targeted Brownfield Assessment of a property
located at 302 South Sertco Road, Okemah, Oklahoma.
2.1 Purpose
The purpose of this assessment is to look at the environmental conditions within the
target area and provide this information to the City of Okemah as well as meet the All
Appropriate Inquiry requirement of the landowner liability protections under the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA,
better known as Superfund) (Ref. 2), as provided in the Small Business Relief and
Brownfield’s Revitalization Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-118, Subtitle B) (Ref. 3). The
purpose of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is to identify, to the extent
feasible, recognized environmental conditions in connection with the target property
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
8
through a systematic review of readily available information sources and a site
reconnaissance.
DEQ is providing technical assistance to the project by evaluating the environmental
condition of the subject property prior to the City of Okemah converting the Former
Okemah National Guard Armory Building for use as a Head Start Center Funding for
this assessment has been provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
2.2 Detailed Scope-of-Services
DEQ examined the current use of the subject property and identified the historical uses
of the property to determine if recognized environmental conditions exist. DEQ
examined historical documents, governmental databases, oil and gas records, aerial
photographs, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, and conducted interviews and a site
reconnaissance of the area. A good faith effort was made to identify possible
environmental conditions that might affect the development of the property.
2.3 Significant Assumptions
History and knowledge of the subject property shows that the building was used as a
National Guard Armory. The National Guard Amory was built in 1984 and the subject
property was vacant land owned by the City of Okemah until 1983, when the city
deeded it to the State of Oklahoma for use as a National Guard Armory. There has
been no oil and gas exploration on the subject property according to Oklahoma
Corporation Commission records.
Since the building was constructed in the early 1980s, the building may or may not
contain asbestos containing materials (ACM). The U.S. began banning the use of
asbestos in most building materials in the 1970s due to studies confirming the harmful
health effects caused by exposure to airborne asbestos. However, ACM has been found
in armories and buildings built in the 1980s, presumably due to the use of stock-piled
materials. Pipe wrap, suspect floor tile, and mastic were observed in the building during
the site reconnaissance conducted on April 5, 2012. The DEQ has had a lead-based
paint, lead dust, and asbestos survey conducted on the subject property. These surveys
found lead-based paint, lead dust, and ACM within the armories. Details are included in
Section 5.2 General Site Assessment and in Appendix O.
2.4 Limitations and Exceptions
The purpose of an environmental site assessment is to identify actual or potential
“recognized environmental conditions” that may result in liability, land use restrictions, or
cause delays in revitalization. The ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment E
1527 – 05 (Ref. 4) is the minimum standard for environmental due diligence in the real
estate industry and meets the standard for All Appropriate Inquiry under the Small
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
9
Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002. A diligent effort in
accordance with generally accepted good commercial and customary standards and
practices was undertaken to identify the “recognized environmental conditions” that
might affect the revitalization project. However, the identification of old hazardous waste
sites is an evolving process; therefore, DEQ cannot state with absolute certainty that no
other potential hazardous waste sites are located in the area. This assessment was
conducted under constraints of time, cost, and scope and reflects a limited investigation
and evaluation. It reflects the normal degree of care and skill that is ordinarily exercised
by environmental professionals conducting business in this or similar localities. In no
event shall the DEQ or its employees be liable for any damages, injury, loss, cost, or
expense whatsoever arising in connection with the use or reliance on the information
contained in this report, except as otherwise provided by law.
The information in this report is based on a review of governmental records, interviews
with knowledgeable representatives of the subject property, information provided by the
City of Okemah, and observations of the environmental professional. The result of this
assessment, as written in this report, is valid as of the date of report. The assessment
does not include sampling of rock, groundwater, surface water, or air. For qualifications
of environmental professionals see Appendix A.
2.5 Special Terms and Conditions
This assessment report has been prepared for the City of Okemah by the DEQ using
EPA funding. Information about this report will be provided to the EPA for its files. This
report and the working file are public record and subject to the Oklahoma Open Records
Act and the federal Freedom of Information Act.
3.0 SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND HISTORY
3.1 Location and Legal Description
The subject property is to the east of Industrial Road, to the north of Sertco Road, and
to the south of Glen Johnson Loop, at 302 South Sertco Road in Okemah, Oklahoma.
The subject property is located at latitude 35.429186 and longitude -96.281846. The
subject property consists of approximately 14.00 acres of land and contains two
buildings from the former National Guard Armory. A site map and topographical map
depicting the subject property have been provided in Appendix F.
The subject property is located in the Northwest Quarter (NW 1/4) of Section 17,
Township 11 North, and Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian, Okfuskee County,
Oklahoma. The subject property’s legal location is described as beginning at the
southwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of said Section 17; thence on an assumed
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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bearing of East, along the south line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00
feet; thence North 00 degrees 08 minutes West, along a line parallel with the west line
of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 660.00 feet; thence West, along a line parallel
with the south line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00 feet; thence South
00 degrees 08 minutes East, along the west line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance
of 660.00 feet to the point of beginning, containing 14.00 acres more or less.
Okfuskee County Courthouse Records showed the following history on the subject
property.
· On February 7, 1983, the subject property within the Northwest Quarter of
Section 17, Township 11 North, Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian, Okfuskee
County, Oklahoma was granted to the State of Oklahoma by the City of Okemah
for the use of the property as a National Guard Armory.
· On October 20, 2011, the property in the Northwest Quarter of Section 17,
Township 11 North, Range 10 East of the Indian Meridian, Okfuskee County was
granted to the City of Okemah, Oklahoma, by the State of Oklahoma, acting by
and through the Oklahoma Military Department. The property transferred is
described as beginning at the southwest corner of the Northwest Quarter of said
Section 17; thence on an assumed bearing of East, along the south line of said
Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00 feet; thence North 00 degrees and 08
minutes West, along a line parallel with the west line of said Northwest Quarter, a
distance of 660.00 feet; thence West, along a line parallel with the south line of
said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 924.00 feet; thence South 00 degrees 08
minutes East, along the west line of said Northwest Quarter, a distance of 660.00
feet to the point of beginning, containing 14.00 acres more or less.
3.2 Site and Vicinity Characterization
The former Okemah Armory was built in 1984. According to Okfuskee County land
records, the land for the building was owned by the City of Okemah and deeded to the
State of Oklahoma for the use as a National Guard Armory on February 7, 1983 (see
Appendix G). The subject property is a tract of land about 14 acres in size, and is
located at 302 South Sertco Road in Okemah, Oklahoma. The area where the subject
property and adjacent properties are located is best characterized as park land,
industrial park land, and agricultural land. Park land, in the form of a golf course and a
lake, surrounds the subject property to the west. A former Okemah Flying Field is also
to the west northwest of the property. An industrial park is to the south of the subject
property. A former industrial building is just north of the subject property. To the east of
the former Okemah Armory building is vacant land and agricultural land. A review of the
topographical map indicated that the surface elevation of the site is approximately 850
feet above mean sea level. The topographical gradient is south southwest, toward
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
11
Battle Creek. Battle Creek is located approximately 0.2 miles southwest of the site. The
topographical map can be found in Appendix F.
3.3 Description of Structures, Roads, and Other Improvements
The subject property consists to two buildings, the former armory building and the
former armory motor pool. The floor tiles in the hallway were chipped. Black mastic was
noticed under the damaged tiles. There was one missing window observed in the
Armory Drill Floor. The office rooms and hallways had water damage on the ceiling. The
motor pool building showed some damage to the wall insulation as well as stains and
pooled water on the concrete slab. Roads surrounding the Armory are paved with
asphalt. The paved parking lot on the north side of the armory was found to have
yellow paint stripes that contain lead-based paint.
3.4 Owner, Property Manager, and Occupant Information
The subject property is owned by the City of Okemah and is currently unoccupied. The
DEQ Site Cleanup Assistance Program (SCAP) is in charge of identifying environmental
hazards and conducting the lead and asbestos cleanup of the Armory. The Oklahoma
Military Department transferred ownership of the armory to the City of Okemah prior to
completion of remedial activities (Appendix G).
3.5 Information Reported by User Regarding Environmental Lien or
Specialized Knowledge or Experience
The property owner and/or representatives reported no environmental liens on the
subject property, and had no specialized knowledge or experience regarding recognized
environmental conditions. The DEQ conducted a search for environmental liens at the
Okfuskee County Courthouse. No environmental liens or use limitations were reported
for the subject property, other than the one issued by the DEQ on February 12, 2013 for
the cleanup of asbestos and lead-based paint and dust conducted by the DEQ SCAP,
and this notice of remediation and land use restriction appears in the Brownfield IC
database.
3.6 Commonly Known or Reasonably Ascertainable Information
Jerry Turner, City Manager of Okemah, had no exceptional knowledge of commonly
known or reasonably ascertainable information about possible environmental conditions
on the subject property. It is known within the community that the building functioned as
a National Guard Armory.
3.7 Valuation Reduction for Environmental Issues
Valuation of the subject property is outside the scope of this assessment. A
professional appraiser should be consulted to place a value on the property.
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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3.8 Current Use of the Property
The buildings are currently empty. The rest of the subject property is vacant land.
3.9 Past Use of the Property
3.9.1 Review of Aerial Photographs
Historic aerial photographs were searched to view the changes to the subject
property over time. The 1943 aerial photograph was found at the Oklahoma
Department of Libraries. The 1954 aerial photograph was found in the records at
the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. The aerial photographs
from 1995, 2003, 2005, and 2012 were found on Google Earth. The aerial
photograph from 2010 was found in the records at the Oklahoma Department of
Environmental Quality. All of these photographs are located in Appendix C. The
following represents a summary of what was found at the subject property from
each photograph.
1943 aerial photograph
The 1943 aerial photograph shows the subject property to be agricultural land.
South of the subject property there is a railroad running diagonally from the
northwest to the southeast. There are two creeks on the adjacent property to the
west, which appear to be tributaries to Battle Creek. The structures associated
with the armory are not present in the photograph.
1954 aerial photograph
The 1954 aerial photograph shows the subject property to be agricultural land.
The structures associated with the armory are not present in the photograph. The
adjoining properties to the north, south, east, and west are undeveloped. The
river flows into a lake on the adjacent property to the west.
1995 aerial photograph
The 1995 aerial photograph shows buildings on the subject property. There is an
airport flying field on the adjacent property to the west, north of the lake. No
apparent environmental conditions were noted from the photograph.
2003 aerial photograph
The 2003 aerial photograph shows some changes from the 1995 aerial
photograph. The photograph shows a building to the north of the subject
property. No apparent environmental conditions were noted from the
photograph.
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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2005 aerial photograph
The 2005 aerial photograph shows no significant changes from the 2003 aerial
photograph.
2010 aerial photograph
The 2010 aerial photograph shows no significant changes from the 2005 or the
2003 photograph.
2012 aerial photograph
The 2012 aerial photograph shows no significant changes from the 2010, 2005 or
the 2003 photograph, except for the visible pile of asphalt that was also noticed
during the site visit.
3.9.2 Fire Insurance Maps
Sanborn Fire Insurance maps were viewed and downloaded from the Oklahoma
Department of Libraries website (Ref. 6). Sanborn maps of the city of Okemah
were found for 1914, 1923, 1930, and 1930-1949. However, none of these
Sanborn maps showed the subject property or any adjoining properties.
3.10 Current and Past Uses of Adjoining Properties
The aerial images from 1943 and 1954 showed that the subject property and the
adjoining properties consisted of vacant or agricultural land.
Records of the lake restoration plan conducted by the National Guard in the early 1990s
describe the following environmental conditions on the property to the west of the
armory building (Appendix P).
· The lake directly west of the subject property was drained in the late 1980s and
members of the Horizontal Construction Platoon used it to conduct MOS
Sustainment Training. The lake was cleared, made deeper, and the dam was
improved so it could be refilled with water.
· The lake area was previously used as a dump. The dump was closed in the
1940s and the lake was built on top. Evidence of dumped material appears
mainly when old bottles will surface.
· South of the lake there used to be sewage retention ponds.
Interviews with past occupants revealed the following other past uses of adjoining
properties (Appendix B):
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· Quantum Industries manufactured modular homes. The building to the north of
the subject property belonged to Quantum Industries.
· There was an airport to the west northwest of the subject property, north of the
lake.
· Sertco Industries, a company that manufactures natural gas compressors, is to
the south southeast of the subject property.
· There used to be old oil wells across from the runway of the airport flying field.
During the site visit on April 5, 2012, adjoining properties were observed to contain the
following:
· To the north of the subject property is a building that was formerly occupied by
Quantum. This building is now vacant.
· To the east of the subject property is vacant land.
· To the south of the subject property there are a few buildings and vacant land.
The building directly to the south of the subject property houses the United
States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
(USDA NRCS). To the southeast of the subject property is Sertco Industries, a
company that manufactures natural gas compressors. The area to the south and
southeast of the subject property is considered the Okemah Industrial Park.
· To the west of the subject property is a lake. North of the lake, and to the west
northwest of the subject property, is a golf course. Also north of the lake is the
Okemah Flying Field, an unpaved airport. South of the lake, there is a facility
used as an overflow pond for treated wastewater and another smaller lake.
3.11 Environmental (Physical) Setting
The DEQ reviewed several sources to obtain information on the physical setting of the
subject property and its surrounding areas. These sources include: The United States
Department of Agriculture Oklahoma County Soil Survey, Oklahoma Geological Survey,
Oklahoma Water Resource Board data viewer, and the Federal Emergency
Management Association. Review of the physical setting of the area is to evaluate the
sensitivity of the hydrogeology to potential contamination from sources either on or near
the site.
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3.11.1 Surface Water Characteristics
The topography of the area is relatively flat. The former Okemah Armory is
located at a surface elevation of approximately 850 feet above mean sea level.
The topographical gradient is to the south-southwest, towards Battle Creek.
Battle Creek is located approximately 0.2 miles southwest of the site. There is no
public water supply intake point within a 1 mile radius of the site. The public
water supply intake for the City of Okemah is Okemah Lake, approximately 8
miles north of the subject property.
No surface water bodies are on the subject property. A large lake is on the
adjoining property directly to the west of the subject property. The lake is known
as Oknoname 107007 Reservoir. South of this reservoir, on the other side of
Glen Johnson Loop, there is a smaller lake, Airport Lake and an overflow pond
for treated sewage water.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), the
subject property is in an area adjacent to, but outside of, the Zone A flood plain.
According to FEMA (Ref. 15), Zone A is the area subject to inundation by the 1-
percent-annual-chance flood event generally determined using approximate
methodologies. The structure is outside of the Zone A flood boundary line. A
map of this information is located in Appendix D.
The subject property obtains its drinking water from the City of Okemah, which
uses Okemah Lake for its water source. Okemah Lake is located 8 miles north
of the town of Okemah and is a different lake than the lakes discussed above.
3.11.2 Subsurface Geological Characterization
According to the Soil Survey of Okfuskee County, Oklahoma, the subject
property consists mainly of Eram loams. The subject property soils are
composed approximately 94% of Eram clay loams (EraE) and 6%of Eram silt
loams (ErmC). The Eram clay loams exhibit 5 to 12 percent slopes and are
moderately well drained. The depth to water table is about 12 to 24 inches and
paralithic bedrock is 20 to 40 inches deep. Eram clay loams have a moderate
available water capacity of about 6.6 inches. A typical profile consists of clay
loam from 0 to 8 inches, silty clay from 8 to 22 inches, silty clay from 22 to 28
inches, and bedrock from 38 to 45 inches.
Eram silt loams exhibit 3 to 5 percent slopes and are also moderately well
drained. Eram silt loams have a moderate available water capacity of about 6.1
inches.
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Minor components include Bates, Coweta, and Dennis soils. A soil report for the
subject property produced by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (Ref.
17) is included in Appendix K.
3.11.3 Ground Water Characteristics
The hydrogeology as reported by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board
(OWRB) indicates that there is no major aquifer in this area. The minor
groundwater basin in this area is the East-Central Oklahoma Basin. The average
hydraulic conductivity is 1.25 K*(ft/day) with an average saturated thickness of
112 feet.
The OWRB Reported Well Log Viewer was utilized to make a map of
groundwater and monitoring wells within a 1 mile radius of the subject property.
The closest monitoring well to the subject property is located 0.78 miles to the
southwest and was used for site assessment purposes. There are no wells
within 0.25 miles of the subject property, and two wells within ½ mile of the
subject property. Both wells within ½ mile of the subject property were used for
soil evaluation. The closest groundwater well is 0.98 miles northeast of the
subject property, and is a domestic groundwater well. For a list and map of wells
that are within 1 mile of the subject property, see Appendix M.
3.11.4 Air Characteristics
No air emissions were noticed at the subject property or the adjoining properties.
The DEQ data viewer database was searched for Air Quality Permitted Facilities
(AQPF) and 2012 Point Source Emissions. No AQPF or 2012 Point Source
Emissions were found within 1 mile radius from the subject property. No odors
were noticed outside of the subject property during the site visit. However, there
is a potential for lead dust and asbestos emissions from the subject property.
4.0 RECORDS REVIEW
A regulatory database search was conducted by the DEQ. This search included, at a
minimum, those records and distances from the site dictated as appropriate in the
ASTM standard. The DEQ performed a review of available federal and state databases
to assess whether the subject property or proximate properties were listed as having
environmental concerns, which could have an adverse impact on the subject property.
The following provides a summary of the databases reviewed.
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4.1 Federal National Priorities List (NPL)
The EPA database was searched for NPL sites near the subject property within the
ASTM’s recommended search radius of one mile (Ref. 8). The subject property is not a
listed NPL site. There are no NPL sites reported within a one-mile radius of the subject
property.
There is also an EPA database for Deleted NPL sites, which ASTM requires to be
reported within ½ mile of the subject property (Ref. 9). No deleted NPL sites are within
the ½ mile search radius. A list of all sites in Oklahoma on the NPL, Deleted NPL,
Proposed NPL, Partially NPL, and Construction Completion NPL sites is include in
Appendix N.
4.2 Federal CERCLIS List
The EPA database for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA) Information Systems (CERCLIS) was searched for active and
archived CERCLIS sites on and near the subject property (Ref. 10). The ASTM’s
recommended search radius of the subject property for both active and archived
CERCLIS sites is ½ mile. No active CERCLIS sites were found within ½ mile of the
subject property. The subject property is not listed on the archived CERCLIS list. The
search results are included in Appendix N.
4.3 Federal RCRA CORRACTs List
The EPA database for RCRA facilities subject to corrective action was searched within
the ASTM’s required minimum distance of one mile of the subject property (Ref. 11).
No RCRA CORRACT facility was found within the one-mile radius of the subject
property. The search result is included in Appendix J.
4.4 Federal RCRA non-CORRACTS TSD List
The EPA database for RCRA facilities not subject to corrective action was searched
within the ASTM’s required minimum distance of ½ mile of the subject property (Ref.
11). No RCRA non-CORRACT Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) sites are within
the ½ mile radius of the subject property. The search result is included in Appendix J.
4.5 Federal RCRA Generators List
The EPA RCRA Notifiers database was searched for RCRA generators within the
ASTM’s required minimum search distance of the subject property (Ref. 11). The
minimum distance is the subject property and adjoining properties. The subject
property did not have any RCRA notifiers or generators. No large quantity generators or
small quantity generators were reported within the subject property and its adjoining
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properties. For a list of RCRA notifiers or generators in Okemah, Oklahoma see
Appendix J.
4.6 Federal ERNS List
Emergency Response Notification system (ERNS) maintained by the National
Response Center was searched for any hazardous substance releases or spills within
the subject property (Ref. 12). ASTM requires a minimum search distance of the
subject property only when identifying ERNS cases. No ERNS sites were reported
within the subject property or the adjoining properties. The ERNS data for all results
near the City of Okemah is included in Appendix I.
4.7 Federal Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries
Federal Institutional Control/Engineering Control registries are under development but
not available at this time. There are no known Institutional Controls/Engineering
Controls on the subject property according to the representatives of the subject
property, and a search of county land records.
4.8 State-Equivalent NPL
DEQ does not have a State-equivalent NPL database. Oklahoma does not have a
State Superfund law to establish a State-equivalent NPL database.
4.9 State-Equivalent CERCLIS
DEQ does not have a State-equivalent CERCLIS database.
4.10 State Landfill and / or Solid Waste Disposal Sites
DEQ regulates landfills and solid waste disposal sites across the State of Oklahoma
(Ref. 13). State landfills and solid waste disposal facilities were searched in the DEQ
database within the ASTM required minimum distance of ½ mile from the subject
property. No permitted landfills or solid waste disposal facilities are located within the
search distance of the subject property. The search results are included in Appendix N.
The Okemah City Lake Environmental Assessment from April 28, 1992 found in the
Oklahoma Department of Military records, details that part of the lake immediately to the
west of the subject property consists of a dump resulting from the demolition of the old
city hall. No municipal dumping is recorded. The report is attached in Appendix P.
4.11 State Leaking UST List
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission UST Notification Database and the Oklahoma
Water Resources Board (OWRB) data viewer were searched to locate any known
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LUSTs sites located within the ASTM’s minimum search distance of a ½ mile of the
subject property. There were no LUST sites found within the ½ mile radius. A map and
list of all LUST sites found in the City of Okemah are included in Appendix M.
4.12 State Registered UST Sites
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission UST Notification Database was searched to
locate registered USTs located within the ASTM’s minimum search distance of the
subject property and its adjoining properties. There were no registered USTs found on
the subject property or its adjoining properties. A record from the Oklahoma Military
Department dated November 5, 1998 shows that no tanks were found on the Okemah
Armory (Appendix L). Furthermore, there were no UST sites found on the OCC
database within ½ mile of the subject property.
4.13 State Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registries
The DEQ Institutional Control/Engineering Control Registry for Brownfields, Voluntary
Cleanup program, Site Cleanup Assistance Program, and Superfund (Ref.18) was
searched. There is one deed notice of remediation on the subject property. Institutional
controls include no residential use of the property by children under age 6 and no use of
the IFR as a child occupied facility. The deed notice is included in Appendix G.
4.14 State Voluntary Cleanup Sites
The DEQ VCP database was searched for VCP sites within the required ASTM search
distance of ½ mile of the subject property (Ref. 14). No VCP sites are located on or
within ½ mile of the subject property.
4.15 State Brownfield Sites
The DEQ Brownfield database was searched for Brownfield sites within the required
ASTM search distance of ½ mile of the subject property (Ref. 14). No Brownfield sites
were found on or within ½ mile of the subject property.
4.16 Oil and Gas Records
The subject property is located in the SW ¼ NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 11 N,
Range 10 E, Indian Meridian. DEQ performed a search of oil and gas records from the
OCC’s oil and gas records database. The subject property is in an area where there is
a history of oil and gas development. Oil and gas records were searched to record the
known history of well development on and near this site. A search area consisted of the
subject property as described from the legal location above and the quarter, quarter,
quarter sections directly above and up gradient of the site. The following describes
each well record found in adjacent areas. Search results for wells near the area are
located in Appendix L.
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· The Town of Okemah #2 well is located in the SE ¼ of the NE ¼ of the
NE ¼ of Section 18, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on October 1, 1987 and
was completed on November 5, 1987. The well was an oil and gas
disposal well closed due to depleted production and operated by Audrain
Biddy. According to the well record, drilling was completed on May 21,
1960, and oil and gas production occurred only on May 24, 1960. During
this process the well was operated by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
· The Town of Okemah #3 well is located in the NW ¼ of the SE ¼ of the
NE ¼ of Section 18, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on August 22, 1977 and
was completed on August 25, 1977. The well was a disposal-injection well
closed because of lack of effectiveness in secondary recovery and was
operated by Audrain Biddy. According to the well record, drilling was
completed on June 18, 1960, and oil production occurred only on June 20,
1960. During this process the well was operated by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
· The Town of Okemah #4 well is located in the NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of the
NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on September 9, 1977
and was completed on September 9, 1977. The well was an oil injection
disposal well closed because of lack of effectiveness in secondary
recovery and was operated by Audrain Biddy. According to the well
record, drilling was completed on July 26, 1960, and oil production
occurred only on July 29, 1960. During this process the well was operated
by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
· The Town of Okemah #5 well is located in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of the
NW ¼ of Section 17, Township 11 N, Range 10 E, Indian Meridian.
According to the plugging record, plugging began on July 21, 1977 and
was completed on August 18, 1977. The well was an oil well closed due to
unfeasible production and was operated by Audrain Biddy. According to
the well record the drilling was completed on December 23, 1960 and oil
production occurred from January 5, 1961 to March 9, 1961. During this
process the well was operated by Fred S. Watson, Jr.
4.17 State Environmental Complaints and Local Services Response
The DEQ State Environmental Complaints and Local Services database was searched
for the subject property. No complaints have been reported for the subject property
(Appendix N).
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4.18 Dry Cleaner Databases
The DEQ databases for dry cleaners (Ref. 19) and yellowpages.com (Ref.20) was
searched for dry cleaners in the City of Okemah. No active dry cleaners were found. No
current or historic dry cleaners were found within the search radius of 1.0 mile.
Table 1 shows a summary of the search results. A more detailed table can be found in
Appendix N.
One active laundry service was found: Okemah Laundry at 15 W Broadway St.,
Okemah, OK 74859. This location is reported to have laundromats and commercial
laundries (Appendix N).
Table 1: Search results of present and historical dry cleaners in the City of Okemah.
Status
Present Dry
Cleaners Address City
Distance to
Armory (miles) Direction
None currently operating
Closed C and A Cleaner 316 W
Broadway
Okemah 1.23 W
Years
Historic Dry
Cleaners Address City
Distance to
Armory (miles) Direction
1974-81 Quality Cleaners 111 S 4th Okemah 1.29 W
1941-73 Band Box Cleaners 112 N 4th Okemah 1.29 W
1941-43 Rushing Cleaners 116 N 3rd Okemah 1.22 W
1941-53 Wardrobe Cleaners 128 N 5th Okemah 1.36 W
1954-55 ABC Cleaners 128 N 5th Okemah 1.36 W
1984-84 Crosdy's
Laundromat & Dry
Cleaners
404 N 4th Okemah 1.34 W
1949-74 Quality Cleaners 408 W
Broadway
Okemah 1.30 W
5.0 SITE RECONNAISSANCE AND INTERVIEWS
5.1 Methodology and Limiting Conditions
A site reconnaissance of the subject property located at 302 South Sertco Road,
Okemah, Oklahoma, was performed on April 5, 2012. Rachel Francks, Rebecca
Marfurt, and Franziska Landes of the DEQ met the caretaker of the subject property,
Jerry Turner, Okemah City Manager at Okemah City Hall and were escorted to the site.
Jerry Turner introduced Francks, Marfurt, and Landes to the site and to Ron Gott,
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Commander Sergeant Major and Mayor of the City of Okemah. Mayor Gott has been
involved with the armory building extensively and served at the Okemah Armory from
the late 1970s to 2006. Mayor Gott answered questions to the best of his knowledge on
the site. Mr. Turner and Mayor Gott lead Francks, Marfurt, and Landes inside the
building and gave their knowledge about what the building was used for and what kinds
of activities occurred there in the past. All areas of the building were observed noting
any environmental conditions that might need additional investigation. The entire
outside area of the armory building was walked around for observations that might need
additional investigation as well. A complete walk around the entire 14 acres of the
property was not conducted.
5.2 General Site conditions
The former Okemah Armory property is composed of a brick building of approximately
17,292 square feet and of a separate metal motor pool building on a concrete slab. The
northern part of the main building was used as office space. The southern part of the
main building includes the drill floor and attached to the south side of the drill floor is an
indoor firing range (IFR). The building was built in 1984. The building is currently
unoccupied.
The property surrounding the building consists of a grassy area to the east that extends
past the east fence approximately 660 feet and is part of the subject property; a parking
lot to the north; a paved road, South Sertco Road, to the west, beyond which is a lake, a
golf course, and a former airport flying field; and a grassy area and then a Motor Pool
building to the south. The subject property is outside to the east of the main portion of
the City of Okemah, to the north of the Okemah Industrial Park, and paved streets are
located to the north and west of the subject property. The following are general site
conditions that were evaluated on the subject property and adjacent properties.
5.2.1 Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs)
No ASTs were found on the subject property during the site reconnaissance.
5.2.2 Landfills and/or Dumping
No landfills, dumping, or severely disturbed soil were found on the subject
property. There is an empty dumpster onsite, which is accessible from the road
and therefore could be a source of future dumping. Piles of asphalt were noticed
on the subject property, just south of the main armory building.
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5.2.3 Impoundments
No impoundments were observed at the subject property. Drainage from the
street to the west is routed to a drainage ditch on the west side of the subject
property and drainage from the parking lot to the north may pool between the
parking lot and the north side of the main building. Directly to the west, across
the street from the subject property, there is a medium sized lake with a width of
approximately 1,500 feet.
5.2.4 Monitoring Wells
No monitoring wells were observed on the subject property. See Section 3.11.3
and Appendix M for monitoring wells found on adjacent properties in a search of
the Oklahoma Water Resources Board records.
5.2.5 Disturbed and Stained Soils
A patch of stained soil approximately one foot across was observed at the
subject property in between the main building and the motor pool building (Figure
46, Appendix B). The stained soil is a potential environmental contaminant (PEC)
in accordance with ASTM 1528-06 (Ref. 22). Minimal soil disturbance was also
noted.
5.2.6 Seeps
No seeps of any kind were observed at the subject property.
5.2.7 Chemical Spills
No evidence of possible chemical spills was observed on the subject property.
There were also no known chemical spills reported by the interviewee.
5.2.8 Farm Waste
No farm waste was observed at the subject property.
5.2.9 Known Pesticide Misapplication
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No known pesticide misapplications were detected during the site visit or during
the supportive research.
5.2.10 Discharges and Runoff from Adjacent Property Affecting the Site
Rainwater runs off the paved road to the west, Industrial Road, to a drainage
ditch that runs along the west side of the subject property. No other runoff from
adjacent properties was observed. No potential pollutants were observed on the
neighbor’s properties that may affect the armory.
5.2.11 Petroleum Products and Oil and Natural Gas Exploration
An oil-water separator was found on the site, on the east side of the main armory
building. DEQ took samples from the oil-water separator and tested the soil for
Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) levels. The highest result was 43 mg/kg of
TPH Diesel Range Organics (DRO) in the soil sediment, which is below the
recommended cleanup level of 50 mg/kg. The lab results are attached in
Appendix O.
A Memorandum for Record filed by the Oklahoma Military Department on
November 18, 1999, shows that at that time the vehicle washrack oil/water
separator was no longer being used and was scheduled for closure. Although it
had not been officially closed, it had been cleaned in October 1999 (Appendix P).
No oil or natural gas exploration was observed during the site visit.
5.2.12 Asbestos
Since many of the State armories were built before the 1970s, or used materials
produced before the 1970s, there is a high potential of finding ACM in the armory
buildings. The U.S. began banning the use of asbestos in most building products
in the 1970s due to studies confirming the harmful health effects caused by
exposure to airborne asbestos. ACM is commonly found in insulation wrapping of
the heating pipes and/or heaters, roofing materials, ceiling tiles, window putty,
mastic, and floor tiles. Floor tiles that are 9 x 9 inches have been found to
regularly contain asbestos.
DEQ’s contractor, GMR & Associates, sampled, analyzed, and assessed the
armory for asbestos in February 2012. Non-friable asbestos was found in the
mastic on the non-asbestos floor tile in the hallway and the main entrance. The
mastic on the twelve by twelve inch brown floor tile in the hallway, covering
approximately 1,450 square feet, was found to contain 7% chrysotile. The mastic
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on the twelve by twelve inch gray and blue floor tile, covering approximately 45
square feet was also found to contain 7-8% chrysotile asbestos. All other
samples, including ceiling tiles, floor tiles, air duct mastic, drywall, carpet mastic,
water elbows, and drywall dividers did not contain asbestos. The report from
GMR & Associates is attached in Appendix O.
5.2.13 Lead
DEQ has noticed the following common surfaces that have painted with lead-based
paint in Oklahoma National Guard armories: doors, door frames,
handrails, windows, window bars, wall trim, walls, overhead door frames, and
downspouts in various places inside and outside of the building.
GMR & Associates conducted a lead-based paint inspection of the former
National Guard Armory building in February 2012. The lead-based paint
inspection was conducted on the interior and exterior walls of the Former
National Guard Armory building. EPA’s threshold for lead-based paints is 1.0
mg/cm2. Lead-based paint was found to contain 1.8 mg/cm2 lead in the yellow
parking stripes in the parking lot. Lead-containing tiles were found to contain
between 7.3 and 10.1 mg/cm2 lead in the kitchen and the bathrooms. No other
areas that were surveyed tested positive for lead-based paint. The report from
GMR & Associates is attached in Appendix O.
GMR & Associates Inc. completed a Survey for Lead in Settled Dust of the
former National Guard Armory building in February 2012. The EPA/HUD
recommended maximum concentration for lead in settled dust is 40 micrograms
per square foot for floors and 250 micrograms per square foot for window sills.
Lead concentrations in settled dust exceeded these recommendations in the floor
of Room 14 (55.9 μg/ft2), on the window sill of Room 10 (539 μg/ft2), and in the
floor of the IFR (1,720 μg/ft2). The report from GMR & Associates is attached in
Appendix O.
In addition, DEQ conducted composite soil samples from two areas on the
subject property for lead. Map F-5 in Appendix F shows the approximate
locations of the soil samples collected by DEQ. The samples contained 13.5
mg/kg and 16.2 mg/kg lead, both far below the EPA cleanup level of 400 mg/kg.
5.2.14 Transformers/PCB Equipment
Fluorescent lighting ballasts were found throughout the entire building. It is
unknown if the ballasts contain PCBs. None of the ballasts appeared to have
leaks.
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There were about 4 pole-mounted transformers observed around the subject
property. All transformers appeared to be in good condition. It is unknown if the
transformers contain PCBs. No other Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)
contamination or other PCB-containing equipment was observed at the site.
5.3 External Observations
External observation at the subject property showed the following: stained soil between
the main building and motor pool building, the oil-water separator, and hooks on the
east fence line that were reported to have been used to hold drums for hazardous
material.
A parking lot is adjacent to the north side of the main building. An annex building, the
motor pool building, is located to the south of the main building. A concrete pad was
noticed on the east side of the main building, approximately due east from the IFR. The
rest of the subject property is covered with grass vegetation. A fence surrounds the
southern side of the main building and encircles the motor pool building. The subject
property continues east beyond the fence line. The west side of the building has a
gravel driveway and is also vegetated. Photographs of the external view of the site can
be found in Appendix B.
5.4 Internal Observations
The building was last used by the Oklahoma Army National Guard and has been
unoccupied for about a year. The one story building was constructed from brick in 1984.
Before construction of the armory building, the land was owned by the City of Okemah.
During the site visit on April 5, 2012 it was noted that the floor in the main building had
chipped floor tiles in the hallway and black mastic showing under the chipped tiles.
There was one missing window observed in the Armory Drill Floor. Water damage was
apparent on the ceiling of the office rooms and hallways. A gas stove and dishwasher
remained in the kitchen. The motor pool building showed some damages in the wall
insulation as well as stains and pooled water on the concrete slab. No chemicals or
military equipment were observed on site. Photographs of the internal view of the site
can be found in Appendix B. A map of the structure is included in Appendix F with notes
taken by Franziska Landes during the site visit on April 5, 2012.
5.5 Interviews
Commander Sergeant Major and Mayor of the City of Okemah, Ron Gott, provided
historical and environmental information about the site. He has been involved with the
armory building extensively and served in Okemah Armory from the late 1970s to 2006
and is, therefore, a good point of contact for knowledge of the building. He was not
aware of any present environmental concerns on the subject property or adjacent
properties. Below is the information obtained from Mayor Gott (Appendix B).
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· There has been no industrial use of the subject property. The surrounding
properties to the north and south are part of an industrial park. There used
to be an airport flying field across the street to the west. Sertco Industries
south of the subject property builds compressor units. Quantum industries
built modular homes to the east, northeast.
· Mayor Gott knows of no chemical spills on the subject property. To his
knowledge, the only chemicals used at the facility were for housekeeping
purposes and automotive maintenance.
· There used to be drums located on the east fence that were used to
dispose of potentially hazardous materials from vehicle maintenance.
· There used to be old oil wells across the road from the subject property
where the runway for the airport was.
· The City of Okemah wants to use the building for a head start center.
· The firing range was closed in the early 1980s. The sand was removed
but it is not known where it was disposed of.
· Airport Lake is to the west of the subject property. South of the lake there
are lagoons that hold treated wastewater that is later discharged to the
creek.
· Mayor Gott does not know of any fill dirt, radiation signs, water
impoundments, stained soil, chemical spills, groundwater seeps, ground
water or surface water contamination, discharges of runoff from nearby
properties, and vent pipes or fill pipes on the subject property.
· Mayor Gott does not know of any hazardous air emissions on the property
or nearby.
· Mayor Gott is not aware of any underground storage tanks that were used
on the subject property in the past or present.
6.0 FINDINGS
Summarized below are the major findings from this Targeted Brownfield Assessment
and DEQ’s recommendations. The major findings of the highest environmental concern
are presented first.
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
Okemah, Oklahoma
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· The subject property contained an oil-water separator. An old correspondence
from Oklahoma Department of Military records shows that this has been cleaned
in 1999. Soil sediment samples collected from the oil-water separator found the
TPH levels were below the action levels at 43 mg/kg. Therefore, no further action
is necessary. The former contamination in the oil/water separator is considered
an HREC.
· There used to be drums located on the east fence that were used to dispose of
potentially hazardous materials from vehicle maintenance.
· There are two buildings on site: the main armory building and the motor pool
building. The main armory building contains office space in the north part of the
structure, a kitchen, drill floor, and the IFR. A gas stove and dishwasher
remained in the kitchen. The kitchen and restrooms were found to have tiles that
returned positive values for lead with an XRF reading. However, this lead is
thought to be encapsulated, since it is contained within the tile.
· A patch of stained soil was found between the main building and motor pool
building
· The former Okemah Armory was built in 1984. The land for the building was
deeded by the City of Okemah to the State of Oklahoma, on February 7, 1983,
for benefit of the Oklahoma National Guard. The subject property was managed
and maintained by the Oklahoma Military Department (on behalf of the State of
Oklahoma) until October 20, 2011 when the subject property was transferred to
the City of Okemah. The subject property is currently owned by the City of
Okemah. A MOA was signed between the City of Okemah and the Oklahoma
Department of Environmental Quality on October 3, 2011 (Appendix H). Cleanup
activities have been completed and a notice of remediation and land use
restriction dated February 12, 2013 was filed in the Okfuskee County Courthouse
(Appendix G).
· The subject property is located on the eastern outskirts of the City of Okemah.
Therefore, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps do not show the subject property or the
adjacent property. Historical aerial photographs show the various stages of the
lake and the surrounding buildings, the airport flying field runways, and vacant
land surrounding the subject property. Aerial images through 1954 show that the
subject property was vacant and agricultural land. A search through country
records show that the first deed transaction on the site was in 1983 when the City
of Okemah deeded the subject property to the State of Oklahoma for the use by
the National Guard.
· Adjoining properties consist of a lake, a golf course and a former airport flying
field to the west; a vacant building that used to be Quantum Industries, which
manufactured modular homes, to the north; Sertco Industries, a company
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manufacturing natural gas compressors, to the south; and vacant land and
agricultural land to the east.
· A previous environmental assessment completed by the military department on
the area that is now the lake to the west indicates that part of the lake bed is an
old city dump used for construction and demolition waste. This is on an adjacent
property to the west.
· No NPL sites, deleted NPL sites, archived CERCLIS sites, RCRA subject to
corrective action (CORRACTS) sites, RCRA non-corrective actions (non-
CORRACTS) treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) listings, ERNS listings,
RCRA generators, VCP sites, Brownfield sites, or State landfills and/or solid
waste disposal sites were found on the subject property or within ASTM
recommended search radii. No environmental complaints have been reported to
DEQ for the subject property. The subject property is on the DEQ SCAP list for
cleanup of lead and asbestos contamination and remediation has been
completed. DEQ issued a notice of remediation and land use restriction dated
February 12, 2013 that was filed in the Okfuskee County Courthouse.
Institutional controls include no residential use of the property by children under
age 6 and no use of the IFR as a child occupied facility. The deed notice is
included in Appendix G.
· According to OCC records there are no suspected USTs on site. No other
records or indication of a possible UST exist. A search for LUSTs within the
ASTM search radius shows no LUSTs within ½ mile or up-gradient of the subject
property.
· Oil and gas exploration and production was found in the OCC oil and gas records
on the adjoining properties. There was no record of oil and gas production on
the subject property.
· Several pole-mounted transformers were noted to east of the armory building,
and it is unknown if they contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Fluorescent
lighting ballasts are located throughout the offices, storage rooms, kitchen, and
restrooms in the main armory building as well as throughout the motor pool
building. The lighting ballasts all appeared to be in good condition. The lights in
the drill floor and the motor pool building contained both incandescent bulbs and
fluorescent lighting. All fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and should be handled
as Universal Waste unless documentation and/or sampling demonstrate they are
not hazardous.
· No current or historic dry cleaners were found within the search radius of 1.0
mile.
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7.0 OPINION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Due to the past use of the subject property and the contamination found on the subject
property, it is believed that cleanup of lead and asbestos will be necessary.
8.0 DATA GAPS
No tribal information was obtained for this assessment. No tax records, city directories,
or zoning records were reviewed for this report. A data gap exists from the aerial photos
between 1954 and 1995. Since the subject property does not appear on Sanborn maps,
there is no direct knowledge of what occurred on the subject property until 1983 other
than what is shown in aerial photographs and topographic maps. In the USGS
topographic map of 1967, no structure is shown on the subject property. Research
found no other records until 1983, and calls to the City Hall of Okemah reveal general
opinion that the subject property was vacant land owned by the city until 1983. A walk
around the entire 14 acre property was not conducted during the site visit. However,
this did not affect the ability of the DEQ to make a recommendation on the subject
property.
9.0 CONCLUSIONS
We have performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment in conformance with the
scope and limitations of ASTM Practice E 1527-05 of the Former Okemah Armory
located at 302 South Sertco Road, Okemah, Oklahoma... Any exceptions to, or
deletions from, this standard are described in Section [11.0] of this report. This
assessment has revealed no evidence of recognized environmental conditions in
connection with the property except for the following: lead dust, lead-based paint, and
asbestos contamination throughout the building.
The information provided in this assessment is to assist the City of Okemah in its
revitalization planning as well as meet the All Appropriate Inquiry requirement of the
landowner liability protections under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, better known as Superfund – Ref. 2), as
provided in the Small Business Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 (Public
Law 107-118, Subtitle B – Ref. 3).
10. ADDITIONAL SERVICES
In addition to this Phase I Targeted Brownfield Assessment, DEQ has provided
sampling analysis of potential asbestos, lead-based paint, lead dust sources, and select
soil and sediment samples. The DEQ SCAP is in charge of identifying environmental
hazards and conducting the cleanup of lead and asbestos at the Armory.
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11. DEVIATIONS
The following deviations from ASTM Practice E 1527-05 occur in this Phase I Targeted
Brownfield Assessment. No tax records, city directories, or zoning records were
reviewed for this report. Sampling of potential asbestos, lead-based paint, lead dust
sources, and select soil and sediment samples was conducted.
12. REFERENCES
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2006). Oklahoma Brownfields
Assistance Agreement (No #RP976412010). Unpublished Document. State of
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1980). Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. (Public Law 96-510). Washington,
DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2002). Small Business Liability Relief
and Brownfields Revitalization Act. (Public Law 107-118, Subtitle B).
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
4. ASTM International. (2005). Water and Environmental Technology: Phase I
Environmental Site Assessment E 1527 – 05. Baltimore, Maryland.
5. Franziska Landes, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, interview
notes with Ron Gott, Commander Sergeant Major and Mayor of the City of
Okemah, April 5, 2012, Okemah Armory.
6. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
www.odl.state.ok.us.
7. Oklahoma Geological Survey. Morton, R.B. Effects of Brine on the Chemical Quality
of Water in Parts of Creek, Lincoln, Okfuskee, Payne, Pottawatomie and Seminole
Counties, Oklahoma. (1986).
8. EPA NPL list: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/status.htm.
9. Deleted NPL sites database:
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/query/queryhtm/npldel.htm
10. CERCLIS current and archived sites:
http://cfpub.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/srchsites.cfm.
11. RCRA database: http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/rcris/rcris_query_java.html.
Phase I TBA Former Okemah Armory
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12. Emergency Response Notification System: http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/foia.html.
13. State Landfill site list: http://www.deq.state.ok.us/LpDnew/swindex.html.
14. Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality online data viewer.
http://www.deq.state.ok.us/mainlinks/gis/index.html
15. Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA). https://msc.fema.gov.
16. RCRA NOTIFIERS sorted by county and then city:
http://www.deq.state.ok.us/LPDnew/HW/Notifiers/notifiersbycountycity.pdf.
17. National Resources Conservation Services (NRCS):
http://soils.usda.gov/survey/
18. DEQ Institutional Control (IC) / Engineering Control Registry for Brownfields,
Voluntary Cleanup program, Site Cleanup Assistance Program, and Superfund
http://www.deq.state.ok.us/lpdnew/ICviewer.html
19. Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Historic Dry Cleaner Databases.
DEQ Archives. Last accessed April 19, 2013.
20. YP Intellectual Property LLC. http://www.yellowpages.com Last accessed April 19,
2013.
21. Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Environmental Complaints and
Local Services Complaint Database. Last accessed April 19, 2013.
22. ASTM International. (2006). Standard Practice for Limited Environmental Due
Diligence: Transaction Screen Process E 1528 – 06. Baltimore, Maryland.